When Will The Torment End?
by AliMariexxx
Summary: Forced to live under the same roof as your tormentor, the person you despise and who loaths you in return. But what happens when those intense feelings ignite a passion you never knew existed, all consuming, dark and dangerous.
1. Chapter 1

Thank you to my wonderful Beta jkane 180! In this story Jacob's mom Sarah is alive, and will remain so. Billy is not in a wheelchair... I hope you all enjoy reading this and as always, I really do appreciate any reviews and feedback. Ali x

xXx

Bella couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Charlie had asked her to come and sit down, gushing about how he had some important news to give her and he thought this would be a great opportunity for them both. Charlie was more animated than Bella had ever seen him, his eyes twinkling enthusiastically. Charlie rarely got enthusiastic over anything these days.

Bella's stomach was in knots, and she instantly feared what he was going to tell her. He had been offered a six month transfer with the police department in Seattle with a huge pay increase. _Okay, well,_ _that wasn't so bad_, Bella thought as Charlie continued to convince her that at his age this was the best thing to happen to him, how he'd gotten stuck in his humdrum life in Forks, and hey, he wasn't complaining – after all, Renee had left him because of his love of this humdrum life, but yeah, even Charlie Swan had gotten a little restless.

Bella congratulated her dad and agreed that this was a great opportunity for him. He had a few years left still before he retired – Charlie wasn't old; he and Renee had Bella very young – and it wasn't going to be a permanent move. Charlie didn't want that, no, sir; he'd come back after 6 months and continue in his position as Forks Chief of Police.

Charlie beamed and chuckled as his only child threw her arms around his neck in a warm embrace.

Then came the shocker.

Charlie cleared his throat, and unwrapped his daughter's arms. Looking at her seriously, he proceeded to tell her that while he'd be away, he had arranged for the house to be renovated. Bella frowned, and her mind started whirling. She thought of school; she was in her final year, just turned eighteen. She had assumed she'd stay in the house while Charlie was away. Bella's smile waned. She couldn't stay with Renee and Phil; they were constantly travelling.

Before Bella could voice any concerns, Charlie soldiered on, telling Bella how the house needed fixing up and he was looking at it as investment potential. He explained how one day it would belong to her to do what she wished with, and it would be worth more money this way.

Bella nodded in agreement but still couldn't get her head around where she would stay.

Charlie could detect the distraction, and taking her hands in his, proceeded to tell her that his good friends Billy and Sarah Black had a spare room at their place, and they would love to have Bella stay with them while the house was out of bounds.

Bella looked aghast at Charlie, snatching her hands back from his grip. Seriously, how could he expect her to stay there? Sure, Sarah and Billy were good people, friendly and caring, but they also had that moronic, arrogant, overgrown ape of a son. Memories flashed through her head of Jacob Black pulling her hair, throwing worms, hiding her books, constantly teasing and laughing at her when the tears threatened to spill onto her reddened cheeks. He was mean, spiteful, and cocky then, and as far as she was concerned, he hadn't changed one bit.

xXx

Jacob Black sat at the small dining table as Sarah and Billy explained to their son about Charlie Swan's temporary transfer and the planned renovation of his house. Jacob wasn't paying much attention to their words; he was watching the clock. He was meeting his girl in fifteen minutes, and if he was just a minute late, he knew he wouldn't be getting any tonight. Yeah, Lauren could be a bitch, but then so were most of the girls he hung out with. But Lauren gave Jacob what he wanted, and usually when he wanted it; so yeah, Lauren was cool. She'd do, anyhow, for now.

Tapping his fingers impatiently on the table, Jacob continued watching the clock with a bored expression plastered all over his face. So Charlie was an okay kind of guy; Jacob had known him for years as his dad's best friend. But why the hell would he be interested in Charlie's job or house plans?

Jacob's focus suddenly came back to his parents as they proceeded to tell him that they had offered Charlie's daughter, Bella, the twins' room. He spluttered out a profanity, which earned him a swift clip around the ear from his mother and a stern word from his father.

Rubbing his sore ear, he looked at his parents resentfully as he remembered the little mousy bookworm who always seemed to manage to rub him the wrong way. He couldn't explain what it was about her that he found so annoying, but he felt she was put on this earth to torment him. Jacob laughed at that thought – yeah, right – from what he could remember, he was the tormenter. She just took what he dished out though and never cried, even though she was always on the brink. Fuck, that annoyed him even more. He wanted to make her cry; then at least Charlie would have stopped bringing her around. But no, she didn't tell anyone how mean he'd been to her. She just took it, so Charlie carried on bringing her. Couldn't he just have left her with a neighbor? Why'd she have to visit every single fucking time? He had sisters for fuck's sake; he didn't need another girl hanging around the place. Now he'd have to put up with her living under the same roof. Fucking great!

Sarah and Billy looked at their son disapprovingly as he stood so abruptly his chair fell backwards, crashing to the floor behind him. Jacob ignored their demands for him to pick up the chair and sit back down as he made his way to the front door. He grabbed his leather jacket off the coat rack and turned to face them slowly resting his hand on the door handle. Narrowing his eyes, and with as much venom as he could muster, he told his parents he wouldn't speak to her, they couldn't make him, and Little Miss Perfect better not try to speak to him.

Jacob yanked the door open and sauntered down the path to his Rabbit, running a hand through his hair as he cursed under his breath. What was it with that girl? Even the mention of her name got his hackles up and now this. Fuck, eighteen years old, and he still couldn't get away from her. God, she got him so mad; she was too fucking perfect. His thoughts went back to a few weeks ago to a party at the Clearwaters' place. Leah and Bella got along well and chatted easily; even Seth joined in on their conversation, and Bella giggled and blushed over something he said. Jacob stood on the other side of the room, brooding and watching her. He didn't want to; he just couldn't help it, and that had pissed him off too. But the thing that really got him mad that night was her total contempt at his presence. She totally ignored him; even when he got her on her own in the kitchen, ready to tease her about Seth. She refused to meet his eyes and had the audacity to walk past him, nose in the air, into the other room. She always managed to piss him off – always so polite, getting good grades, cute little Bella. Everyone loved Little Miss Perfect.

Jacob climbed into his car and slammed his hands down on the steering wheel. He remembered the pretty dress she wore that night too, and how her blush had travelled down her neck and across her chest. Jacob took his hand off the steering wheel and grabbed himself roughly through his jeans, wondering how far down her slender body that blush went. Feeling himself harden rapidly, he threw his head back and thought of something else he could do to Bella Swan. It certainly didn't involve talking, and fuck, he wouldn't even have to look at that cute little face; no, he'd just bend her over, fuck her hard and make her scream his name and beg for more.

Jacob groaned and was tempted to just undo his jeans and relieve the ache, there and then, but fuck no, that was Lauren's job, he thought as he started up the engine. He wasn't waiting tonight; shit, he needed her lips around his cock _now_. He quickly flipped open his cell, and when Lauren picked up, he spoke briefly, telling her to wear his favourite, red 'hooker' lipstick and meet him in the trees at the back of her house in five minutes. Jacob smiled to himself as he flipped the cell closed and pushed his foot down on the gas pedal. Yeah, his baby would know exactly what he needed and he felt his cock twitch uncomfortably in anticipation.

xXx

Bella knew there was no getting out of the situation. She couldn't rent a place on her meager wage from her part time job at Newton's Hardware Store, and Charlie had just put aside a large amount of cash for the renovation. There really was no way out; she would have to take up Sarah and Billy's kind offer of a room.

The thought of living under the same roof as him caused her gut to twist painfully. She'd seen the way he watched her at the Clearwaters', like a predator ready to pounce. She was always amazed at how a lovely couple like the Blacks' could have raised such an asshole like Jacob. When they were kids, his teasing could have been blamed on sheer childishness, even though he was relentless in his efforts to hurt her. She often wondered what it was about her that riled him so. She tried to avoid him, but he came looking for her just to make fun and tease. But then, he was just a kid, a bully, not much taller than herself and pretty harmless. Now, however, he was a huge hulk of a man – over 6' in height and solid muscle. She always tried to avoid looking at Jacob for fear of catching his eye and igniting some demon that she believed existed inside him.

When she'd watched him from afar, she could see how he could definitely be appealing to girls, even women since Jacob looked quite a bit older than his eighteen years. Bella shuddered at the thought; she would never find him appealing. She would never be taken in by his dark, brooding looks, his tan skin, the sunny smile that showed rows of perfectly straight, white teeth or the smile that was never directed at her. She was always on the receiving end of his sinister smirks or his glare, which had changed over the last few years. He used to look at her with a loathing, as you would at something disgusting you'd stepped in; but now, his look had changed. It was still hard and hateful, but dark, his eyes black. But she only observed this from a distance; she would never look at him in the eye up close.

So resided herself to the fact that she would be living with the one person who had tormented her and loathed her, but she would not let him break her. How hard could it be to avoid him? They were both still at school during the week, different schools, thankfully. They both worked part time on weekends; he helped out at the local auto garage in La Push. He had a girlfriend too, whom he would surely spend any spare time he could with. So, all in all, Bella was feeling pretty confident; even though they would be living under the same roof for a few months, she would be able to avoid Jacob most of the time.

Jacob sat at the table with his parents. They were talking; he wasn't listening. Instead, he stared into space, thinking about how hot Lauren's mouth looked with that bright red lipstick on while she was sucking him off. Fuck, it felt good too. God, she was so fucking dirty; he loved it.

Then he heard that name – oh, yeah, they had to go and mention her again, didn't they? Well, it got his attention. She was definitely staying; she accepted their offer. Was she fucking insane? Jacob thought. He listened while his parents laid down some rules – rules that had always existed in the Black household, but rules that Jacob tended to break frequently. He smirked and nodded as they reeled them off one by one. He guffawed when his mother said that he would need to be more considerate now that they would be having a young lady as a guest around the house. She continued, ignoring his laughter and telling him it would mean no walking around in just his underwear, no barging in the bathroom or bedrooms without knocking first, and always locking the bathroom door if it was in use. Jacob rolled his eyes as the list continued. Then he leaned forward on his elbows and, in all seriousness, asked his parents if it was okay for Bella to wander around the house in her underwear because he really didn't mind that at all.

Sarah got up from the table with an exasperated sigh. Why was Jacob like this? What had she and Billy done wrong? She shook her head as she heard Billy raise his voice at their son. She wondered whether they were doing the right thing inviting Bella to stay with them, but things had been arranged now, and there was no way they could let Charlie down at such short notice. Jacob got up and walked over to his mother. Wrapping his arms around her, he apologized, adding that he guessed he could try to follow some of the rules, but not for Bella, for his mom. Sarah reached her hand up to cup his cheek and whispered, "That's all I'm asking for, son."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you to my wonderful Beta jkane180! In this story Jacob's mom Sarah is alive, and will remain so. Billy is not in a wheelchair... I hope you all enjoy reading this and as always, I really do appreciate any reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

The dreaded day had arrived.

The house was empty, all their possessions in storage, apart from the few things they would be taking with them to their temporary homes. Bella didn't need much to keep her happy, she liked simplicity. All she had packed was a small amount of clothes, some toiletries, her laptop, iPod, and of course, her books. She had already driven Charlie to the airport after insisting that she could make her own way to the Blacks' house. She laughed, hugged him, and said she wouldn't need a police escort. But really, she didn't want Charlie to see her anxiety. He was excited for his big adventure, and there was no way she would ruin it for him.

So here she was, looking up at her house, and willing herself to turn around and get in the truck. She had no choice; it had to be done.

Sarah Black pulled the front door open when she heard Bella's truck pull up outside. Sarah was excited; she loved Bella and missed having female company around the house. Living with two large men in the confines of their small home could be stifling, especially when her husband and son were constantly butting heads. She hoped that Bella's presence would bring a change of dynamic to the family unit and hopefully defuse the somewhat tense atmosphere that was often present. Sarah knew Billy missed his daughters and believed that it was one of the reasons his relationship with Jacob had started to deteriorate. Billy was the Chief, and with that came responsibilities. Sarah knew Billy had things on his mind. Their son would one day take over Billy's role, and her husband had concerns, the council had concerns, and Jacob had no interest in any of it.

As Bella started walking up the path, Sarah smiled warmly, but felt a little guilty. Was she using Bella to try and fix her family's problems? She mentally shook her head and told herself no. This lovely, hardworking, polite, young woman would be a pleasant distraction to all the brewing tension that surrounded the Blacks, and Sarah was also hoping that some of that good attitude and thoughtfulness would rub off on her rebellious son.

As Bella approached the open door, Sarah threw her arms around her in a welcoming hug. Bella hugged Sarah back; she'd always liked Mrs. Black and always felt very comfortable around her. Sarah let go of her and beckoned Bella into the house. She could see Billy, standing just inside the door, smiling warmly at her.

Stepping over the threshold and glancing around at the open living area, she knew instantly that _he_ wasn't home. She couldn't say why, but she knew and relaxed immediately. Of course it was Saturday; he'd be working at the garage. Bella let out a silent sigh of relief. She knew she had a good few hours to settle in her room before he came home and… she didn't know! What would he do in his own home? She put it in the back of her mind and mentally tried to convince herself to stop worrying; it would be fine.

xXx

He knew she'd be there by now. Yeah, she was bound to be on time; Little Miss Perfect wouldn't keep anyone waiting.

He was working on a Ford with his head under the hood, but he couldn't concentrate. She was doing it again; invading his thoughts. He didn't want her there, and she certainly didn't belong there – in his head or in his home – but he had no choice; it had been done. He wiped his greasy hands on an old rag then rubbed his forehead, trying to erase her image

He deftly connected the wires and tried to push all thoughts of her to the back of his mind, but she wouldn't leave him alone. Even when he was younger he tried to avoid her – really, he did – but he'd find a good hiding place, and there she was, nose in a book. He didn't want to find her, he didn't look for her, but she was always there, every fucking time. Then he'd get mad and be mean to her; she always seemed to bring out the worst in him.

He knew she'd be there when he got home tonight and his gut twisted at the thought. He'd said he wouldn't speak to her, and he meant it. He would act as though she wasn't there, be oblivious to her presence.

Then he heard Seth and Paul talking about the beach party next Friday. Seth was telling Paul how he and Leah were going to invite Bella as a welcome to La Push. Paul agreed it was great idea but warned Seth not to get too into her, since she was a bit older than him and he doubted she'd be interested in her friend's little brother. Seth blushed and blurted out some, nearly incoherent sentence about liking her as a friend and just wanting to be welcoming.

Jacob slammed down the hood of the Ford, moved round to get in the driver's side, and turned the key in the ignition. Pushing his foot fiercely on the gas pedal, he gave the engine a few loud revs. Satisfied he'd done his job; he got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Wiping his hands on his dirty rag, he walked up to Paul and Seth. Without taking his eyes off Seth, he handed Paul the car keys then turned to go wash up, muttering, "I'm out of here."

xXx

Billy had finished bringing Bella's things in from the truck, and she'd started to settle herself in her new room. It was a nice room, not very big but big enough for Bella's needs. She unpacked her things and sat on the bed with the door open. She looked across the hallway and felt a wave of nausea overcome her as she acknowledged the closed door to _his_ room directly opposite her own. She slowly got to her feet and closed her door.

Bella had been reading in her room when Sarah knocked to ask if there was anything in particular she'd like for dinner. Bella replied that she ate most things but jumped up to insist on helping Sarah cook. After reluctantly agreeing – after all, Bella was a guest – Sarah showed Bella around the kitchen, and they began preparing dinner. They chatted happily while they worked about many things. Sarah was interested to hear about Bella's school, job, and the type of books she read, and Bella felt at ease discussing these things with Sarah. Even Billy joined in at some points and would throw in the odd comment, which would make Bella laugh. The conversation flowed easily, and Bella began to relax a bit.

Then _he_ arrived home.

Bella had her back to the front door when she heard it open and close. She immediately stiffened, and her senses were on hyper alert. Even though he must have been at least twenty feet away from her, she could smell him. It wasn't unpleasant, but a mixture of grease, oil, and a masculine, woodsy smell. Bella's stomach knotted, and her knees almost buckled. She was fighting the incredible urge to turn and look at him, so she held onto the counter and stared at the tomatoes she'd just finished slicing, listening.

She heard Sarah and Billy greet their son, and his short response. Then he added that he needed a shower. Walking down the hallway he asked how long dinner would be and Sarah replied about 15 minutes.

It was all very quick and civilized, they didn't acknowledge each other; he spoke to his parent's politely, nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, Bella thought, as she continued to help Sarah with dinner. But with her senses heightened, she was aware of a door closing and the sound of the shower running. The thought of knowing that he was here, and could emerge at any moment, made Bella's heart pound and her stomach twinge.

xXx

He stepped into the shower and relished the feeling of the hot water cascading off his tense body. How did she manage to do this to him? Every fucking time. He was already wound up knowing she was going to be there when he arrived home, but to see her in the kitchen preparing his dinner, fuck! He chuckled to himself as he reached for the shower gel, wondering if she'd attempt to poison him. He began to lather himself up, and he directed his thoughts to Lauren. He would be meeting his dirty girl later tonight and wondered what they'd get up to. Of course he knew exactly what they'd be doing later on and smiled to himself as his soapy hand made its way down his body to his length. He was already semi hard as he began stroking himself. He cupped his balls gently, kneading them softly, working up the lather, and imagining it was Lauren's hand touching him so intimately.

But no sooner had he begun to picture Lauren than_ she_ was there, intruding in his thoughts again; Lauren was gone, and he could see Bella at the kitchen counter, her chestnut curls hanging down her back and her cute little ass in her tight, skinny jeans. Fuck. He grabbed his now hard cock and gasped as he ran his thumb over the tip. His stomach clenched at the sensation, and he slowly started working his hand up and down his length. He rested his left hand against the tiled wall and closed his eyes, moaning quietly. Little Miss Perfect was in front of him now, on her knees, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. Tentatively, she was stroking him, running her thumb over his sensitive tip and not taking her eyes off him. He was looking at her plump pink lips, slightly parted and moist – no garish red lipstick for her – they were just full, natural, and oh so fucking innocent.

She bit her bottom lip seductively then teasingly placed a kiss on the tip of his cock. His hand was in her curls, gently encouraging her. He wasn't used to being gentle, but at this moment, it felt right. She continued to place light kisses up and down his length, her eyes constantly on his; the feel of her curls was so soft. Jacob let out a shuddering breath as she pulled back slightly and, with a teasing smile, licked his tip slowly, like a lollipop, with her flattened tongue. She continued to lick his shaft from base to tip, and then suddenly, with a satisfied moan, she took him fully into her mouth. Fuck, it felt so good as she sucked him hard. He could feel the warmth of her mouth as he bucked his hips to meet the back of her throat. She closed her eyes briefly, and as she moaned, he could feel the vibrations all over his length. She picked up her pace, and Jacob fisted her hair; he was done with being gentle now, as he could feel his release getting closer. He continued to fuck her mouth harder, hitting the back of her throat with every thrust. He could hear her gag, but he was too close to stop or even slow down. Moaning quietly, telling her how fucking good it felt, and whispering words of encouragement, he reached his peak. With a fierce twitch and a groan of pleasure, he released all that he had into her eager mouth. She greedily swallowed all that he offered her, and with a loud pop, she released him. Wiping her mouth crudely with the back of her hand, she gazed up at him with those big brown eyes and smiled sweetly.

When Jacob opened his eyes, Little Miss Perfect was gone. As his breathing began to steady, he looked down at his hand and saw the sticky evidence of his pleasure all over it. He gave a satisfied smile as he continued to wash his body under the rapidly cooling water. His anger at her intrusion into his mind had subsided slightly. He chuckled again as he thought to himself how he'd said he wouldn't talk to her, but, fuck, he never said he wouldn't think of doing other things to her. Before his mind took a wander down that road again, Jacob quickly washed his hair then shut off the water and stepped out of the shower. Looking around the bathroom, he remembered he hadn't brought any clothes in with him. Shit, there goes one rule. He shrugged to himself as he grabbed a towel from the cabinet and wrapped it around his waist. Running a hand through his dripping wet hair, he opened the door boldly, stepped out of the bathroom, and sauntered down the hallway to his bedroom.

xXx

Bella helped Sarah set the table while Billy read the newspaper. As Bella moved across from the kitchen to the dining area with a pile of plates in her arms, she heard the sound of the bathroom door opening. The urge to look was too great, and Bella quickly glanced in the direction of the bathroom. Jacob emerged through the door in nothing but a white towel. Bella couldn't help but notice that the small scrap of material barely covered his modesty. She quickly looked away, but not before noticing the contours of his muscles across his back and shoulders against his tanned skin. Thankfully, Jacob was heading to his bedroom and Bella's glance had gone unnoticed, but she still managed to blush furiously as she placed the plates on the table. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, knowing that he would be joining them for dinner in a few minutes.

Sure enough not five minutes had passed before he came through to the dining area and sat quietly at the table.

Bella could smell him again, but the previous odors had gone and were replaced by the gorgeous scent of male cologne and pine shower gel. Bella began to feel that familiar twist in her gut, but she was shocked to find that his presence and the smell of him were causing her to have other sensations elsewhere. She quickly grabbed the bowl of spaghetti, placed it in the middle of the dining table and scurried back to the kitchen. Sarah was opening the oven to retrieve the warmed garlic bread, so Bella picked up the next bowl, full of Bolognese, and made her way back over to the table. As she approached, she did her best to avoid looking at him, but she found it so hard. She gazed at his chest as he started making small talk with Billy. He was wearing a black t-shirt with no collar and buttons half way down. He'd left a good number of buttons undone, and to her surprise, she could see some chest hair, just a small amount, but definitely chest hair. She almost dropped the bowl of Bolognese but quickly recovered without bringing any attention to herself.

Bella was suddenly aware that this was the closest she had been to Jacob since they were kids, and she was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, but not in the usual way. She was really blushing now and was so grateful that he'd chosen to ignore her. She wasn't sure if she could cope with his teasing right now. She went back to the kitchen and asked Sarah if there was anything else she could help her with. Sarah handed Bella a plate of garlic bread, and asked her if she'd mind popping it on the table then added that she'd bring the drinks in herself. Bella and Sarah both approached the table and Sarah indicated for Bella to sit next to Jacob. She was a little relieved; at least she didn't have to sit opposite him. That would have been murder. But she was still too aware of their close proximity around the small round table. Once Sarah had taken her seat, Billy and Jacob started dishing up. Bella and Sarah waited for the guys to finish helping themselves, before filling their own plates.

Bella suddenly felt very self-conscious. Spaghetti Bolognese wasn't the easiest thing to eat in company, and she was quietly grateful that Jacob had the sense to wear a black shirt. At least you couldn't notice a stain too bad if you got it down you. She was also achingly aware that she was paying way too much attention thinking about him, how he looked and smelled, and she realized that she really wasn't feeling very hungry at all.

Thankfully, Jacob wolfed down two helpings of dinner, and in no time, he was asking to be excused from the table. His parents gave their permission and told him not to be home too late but to have a good night. Before Bella could register what was happening, he had taken his plate to the kitchen, quickly kissed his mom on the cheek, grabbed his leather jacket, and was out the door – gone.

Bella almost audibly sighed in relief and started eating with a little more enthusiasm as her appetite suddenly returned with gusto.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to my wonderful Beta jkane180! In this story Jacob's mom Sarah is alive, and will remain so. Billy is not in a wheelchair... I hope you all enjoy reading this and as always, I really do appreciate any reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

He couldn't wait to get out the door. Shrugging on his leather jacket, he made his way to the car.

Dinner had been a bittersweet torture. After he showered, Jacob had dressed quickly and joined his dad at the dinner table. Billy asked him how his day was and Jacob was more than happy to give his dad the low-down on what he'd done today, going into detail about the repairs he'd carried out on the old Ford he worked on.

He was grateful he could lose himself in his explanation to Billy; he was far too aware of her presence since he'd come back into the dining area. She quietly carried bowls to and fro, placing them on the table and trying not to bring too much attention to herself. But Jacob had to fight the urge to look at her. He found it harder and harder and mentally scolded himself for being so lame. How hard could it be to ignore her? After all, she was the thorn in his side. But each time she came to the table, the urge was there, to look into those big brown eyes, or watch her cute little ass sway as she walked back to the kitchen. Jacob tried to concentrate on his conversation with Billy, making a mental note, that this was most probably the most engaging discussion he'd had with his dad for a while now.

When she sat next to him, he still ignored her, didn't even look in her direction, but it was torture. He was aware of her beside him; he could smell her. A faint scent of jasmine and honeysuckle – not some overpowering, expensive perfume, like the kind Lauren always wore, but a delicate, clean, feminine smell. He'd helped himself to dinner and started shoving it in his mouth; the quicker he got out of here the better. In his peripheral, he saw her hands reach out, as she filled her own plate with a small amount of food. It struck him how tiny and pale her hands were in comparison to his own. Hell, in comparison to Lauren's. Lauren was at least 5' 8" and incredibly curvy, with huge tits and a shapely, round ass. Jacob thought about how he loved having plenty to hold onto when they fucked and how her tits bounced around like crazy when she rode him. He smiled to himself; there was nothing tiny or delicate about Lauren.

He caught sight of Bella's hands again as she played with the food on her plate. Everything about her was tiny, almost fragile, and for a second, a sense of guilt shot through Jacob. He quickly helped himself to more food, pushing that ridiculous feeling to the back of his mind. What did he have to feel guilty about? Yeah, so maybe he'd been a little mean to her in the past, but they were kids, and she was always in his way or ignoring him. Now he just wanted to avoid her. She irked him, and he didn't know why. But wherever he went, she was always there, either in person or in his mind, and that pissed him off. He didn't like her. He didn't really know why, so, yeah, that pissed him off too! But he wouldn't dream of hurting her, not now. Well, not unless she was into that shit! Jacob grinned and felt his cock twitch in his jeans. Yeah, Lauren loved a good rough fuck now and again. He didn't have to worry about hurting his baby, and she was as kinky as hell too, willing to try most things. The brief feeling of guilt passed as quickly has it had arrived. Fuck, he had nothing to feel guilty about, he thought again as he finished the last few mouthfuls of his dinner.

He needed to get out of there and fast, so he asked to be excused. Picking up his plate, he quickly made his way to the kitchen. As he passed her, he could see her hair tumbling down the back of the chair; he had to fight another urge to reach out and touch her soft curls. Again, he thought of Lauren, or to be more exact, Lauren's hair – dyed blond and straightened to death. Fuck, what was he doing comparing his sexy as fuck, hot girlfriend to Little Miss Perfect? Yeah! He really needed to go now, before he did or said something he'd regret. He quickly kissed his mom, grabbed his jacket and left.

xXx

Bella helped Sarah clear the table and started to fill the sink to wash up the dinner things. Billy came into the kitchen and, taking Bella gently by the shoulders, told her he and Sarah would clean up in here; she should go and relax. Reluctantly Bella took her leave and went to read in her room. She lay down on the bed and reached over for her book. As she started to read where she'd left off, she found it too hard to concentrate. The words kept getting jumbled together, and she found her thoughts kept wandering to _him –_ how he looked and smelled. She groaned quietly and told herself there was no way she was going to be taken in by him. He was an arrogant bully who'd made her life hell when they were kids, even if he did look and smell good now. She closed her book with an exaggerated sigh, and her mind went back to dinner; it was sweet how he'd kissed his mom before leaving, she thought. Then, shaking her head furiously, she laughed and told herself inwardly that there was nothing sweet about him at all; he was dangerous, and she wasn't to trust him.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang, and Bella could see on the caller display that it was Leah. She answered and was pleased to have a distraction from her thoughts of Jacob. Leah asked how her first evening was going with the Blacks, and Bella answered that everything was fine and she'd been made to feel very welcome. Leah laughed disbelievingly through the phone as Bella continued to gush about how Mr. and Mrs. Black couldn't be any lovelier; she didn't mention Jacob.

Bella and Leah had been friends since they were children, and it was often Leah who found Bella after her many encounters with Jacob. Bella never told Leah about Jacob being mean to her, but Leah was very perceptive and, without saying as much, knew that things weren't right between the two of them.

Their conversation continued for a little while as they discussed school and work. Then Leah invited Bella to the beach party next Friday. Bella hesitated; Jacob would most definitely be there and would not want her there at all. She tried to come up with some excuse for not going, but Leah was very persuasive and explained that she and Seth would be there to look after her. In the end, Bella agreed that she would go to the party, adding that it would be fun to see the other guys again.

As a young girl, she was a frequent visitor to La Push, and apart from her frequent upsets with Jacob, she got along really well with many of the other kids who hung out with Leah. They all included her in their games, which seemed to annoy Jacob even more, and although they always asked her to play, she often just sat on the outskirts, watching or reading a book. As she got older, she began to avoid hanging out with the guys because Jacob was often with them, but her friendship with Leah always remained strong.

After the phone call, Bella lay back down on the bed and, eventually did manage to read some of her book. Before she knew it, a couple of hours had passed. She decided she would have an early night, so she wandered out of her room and into the living room to say goodnight to Sarah and Billy. Then she grabbed her toiletries and made her way to the bathroom to wash and brush her teeth. As she entered the bathroom, she remembered the image of Jacob, wrapped in his tiny white towel. Instantly, she felt her cheeks grow hot, and she knew she was blushing. Thanking god that there was no one around to witness her embarrassment, she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth. She blushed even more when she looked over at the shower and saw his pine shower gel. Thoughts of his wet, naked, tan skin under running water suddenly invaded her thoughts, and she decided she wouldn't have a shower tonight; she'd have to pluck up the courage to use the same shower he had used. Instead, she decided she needed to get out of the bathroom fast. She finished brushing her teeth and peed – she didn't want to risk waking in the night to pee and bumping into him. Then she quickly returned to her room and changed into her pajamas, grabbed her iPod, and jumped into bed.

She listened to some music for a while; then tried to drift off to sleep, but she couldn't. It felt like her body was on high alert and it was getting worse with every passing minute. She heard Sarah and Billy turn the TV off and get ready for bed. The house seemed very quiet once they'd finished in the bathroom and settled down for the night. She kept listening for every little sound, telling herself it was just because she was sleeping in a strange bed in a strange room in a strange house. But really, she knew, deep down, she was listening for any sign of _him_ returning home. She had eventually started to drift off when she thought she heard the front door open and close. She looked over at the clock, and the illuminated digits told her it was 3:00am. So much for not being home late, she thought, as she heard him rummaging around in the bathroom. Her heart was racing, and she was sure she could actually hear it pounding through her chest as she heard him make his way to his room opposite her own. Then she heard his bedroom door open and close. Bella let out a shaky breath, one that she hadn't even realized she'd been holding.

She rolled over and whispered to herself that she needed to get a grip and stop being such an idiot; otherwise, she'd die at eighteen from a heart attack.

xXx

Bella woke early the next morning but stayed in bed, waiting to hear Sarah or Billy get up. She didn't really feel comfortable wandering around their home while they were still in bed. So she just lay there and decided to read for a bit. She heard some movement about an hour later, and from what she could hear, she was certain it was Sarah. So, after getting out of bed, checking her pajamas were decent, and refastening her hair in the messy bun she'd slept in, Bella made her way into the kitchen to help Sarah with breakfast.

By the time Sarah and Bella had made coffee and pancakes, Billy had come to join them at the dining table. They sat and ate in relative silence. Bella was still aware that _he_ could join them at any moment, but there appeared to be no sound coming from his room. Then, almost as though she'd read Bella's mind, Sarah mentioned that she hadn't heard Jacob come home last night so it must have been late, adding with a smile, that her teenage son loved to sleep in late on Sunday mornings. Bella smiled back and kept quiet. She didn't want to get him in trouble by telling his parents what time he'd gotten home last night or let on that she was still awake at that time too.

She finished her breakfast and started to help clear away the breakfast things, asking Sarah if it was okay for her to have a shower. Sarah laughed and told her she didn't need to ask, adding that she was going to be here for quite a while and was to treat their home as though it were her own.

Bella thanked Sarah then quickly and quietly made her way back to her room to retrieve her toiletries and some clothes. She made a mental note, a challenge almost, not to linger; she would shower as quickly as possible and get back in her room before _he _got up.

Bella managed to shower in record time. She wasn't used to rushing her showers at home. After all, it was only Charlie she had to share with, and they rarely needed the bathroom at the same time. So she was pretty amazed and pleased with herself at how quick she could be. She hastily got dressed and wrapped her hair in a towel so it didn't drip everywhere. She darted out of the bathroom and quickly made her way along the hall to her bedroom when, suddenly, his door opened, and he stepped out into the hallway.

Bella, in her rush, almost collided with his bare chest and, so as to avoid looking at him, automatically dropped her eyes, which she instantly regretted. He stood there in just a pair of black boxer briefs that fitted him very snugly and left little to the imagination. Even though she quickly tried to avert her eyes, she couldn't help but notice his well defined abs and the line of dark hair that went from his naval and disappeared into the waistband of his underwear. Her eyes darted around to find another focal point, but he took up so much space in the tiny hallway that his body seemed to be everywhere she looked. She made a move to the right to step around him, but he too, moved to his left at the same time. So she moved to her left, but again, he mirrored her. Then, with a loud, unimpressed huff, he took a hold of Bella's upper arms, gently moved her out of his way, and disappeared into the bathroom.

With her heart hammering in her chest, Bella almost fell through the bedroom door and, after closing it behind her, collapsed on the bed.

She lay face down and let out a quiet, muffled groan into the comforter, "Oh shit, shit, shit!"


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to my wonderful Beta jkane 180! In this story Jacob's mom Sarah is alive, and will remain so. Billy is not in a wheelchair... I hope you all enjoy reading this and as always, I really do appreciate any reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

He stood in the bathroom with his back against the closed door. Fuck! First thing on a fucking Sunday morning, and there she was, right outside his bedroom door. He banged his head back against the wood softly and clenched his fingers. He could still feel them tingling where he'd grabbed her arms, almost like he'd received an electric shock. He looked around the bathroom, and shit! Now all he could smell was fucking jasmine and honeysuckle, and it smelled so fucking good.

Jacob ran his hands through his hair and then rubbed his sleepy eyes. He noticed the mirror was still steamed up. She'd been in here not five minutes ago, naked in his fucking shower. He looked down at himself, eyeing his snug-fitting boxers. Resting his head back against the door, he grinned mischievously to himself. Well, it seems that Little Miss Perfect got an eyeful of packing Black! He thought cockily as he laughed quietly to himself. Leaving the door unlocked, Jacob stripped of his underwear and got into the shower. He hadn't brought any fresh clothes into the bathroom with him, and remembering how embarrassed Bella had been at seeing him half naked, Jacob decided fuck the rules; he was going to have a lot of fun with his new house guest.

xXx

She sat on the bed, her heart still racing, while she listened to the sound of the shower. She took the damp towel off her head and shook out her wet hair. Running her fingers through it, she stood and started pacing around the room. How on earth could she cope with living here for six months when every encounter with him almost caused her to have a seizure? What the hell was she thinking when she agreed to stay here? But, solemnly, she remembered there really was no other option. She sat back down on the bed, trying to calm herself with some deep breathing. Why was he having this affect on her? Sure, he was pretty mean when they were kids, and she was a little scared of him back then. But apart from a few odd dirty looks and completely ignoring her, he hadn't actually done anything to her lately. She wrapped her arms around herself rubbing them where he'd gently held her to move her out of the way.

She sighed. Urgh, he was so arrogant, prancing around in his underwear. He must have known he could bump into her. Maybe this was his way of trying to intimidate her further, but she wasn't going to allow him to get to her; even though she reluctantly had to admit that the sight of him just now, literally took her breath away.

But maybe he didn't do it on purpose, she argued with herself. He was out late last night. Maybe he was still half asleep and just really needed the bathroom and didn't realize she had been in there. Oh, don't be so stupid, Bella, she scolded herself; Jacob Black always knows what he's doing and probably timed it to come out of his room just as you were leaving the bathroom.

Bella let out another sigh and held her head in her hands. Whatever he did or didn't do, she decided she had to stop over analyzing everything and just get on with living under the same roof as the egotistical asshole. Even if said asshole, looked and smelled amazing, even first thing in the morning with his messy bed hair, puffy, sleepy eyes, and unshaven scruff. Okay, so she had mainly been looking at his chest and nether regions, unintentionally of course, but she did catch a glimpse of his face for at least a second before she'd dropped her eyes.

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the images that were beginning to settle there. She combed her fingers through her hair, untangling any knots she found and telling herself that her stupid female hormones, urges, and desires weren't welcome at this present time, and her body had better not let her down since her mind had no intention of letting it get anywhere near Jacob Black.

Miraculously after the encounter in the hallway, Bella managed to avoid Jacob almost entirely in the first week. Apart from a couple of times where he had dinner with the family, he either ate at friends or later when he got home. Bella always tried to manage to be in her room by the time he came home.

As she had first thought, it actually wasn't too difficult to avoid Jacob much, even living under the same roof. He spent much of his spare time out with his girlfriend Lauren; Bella didn't see her at the house at all that week. When he wasn't out with Lauren, he was either out with his 'boys,' as he referred to them, or in his own garage at the back of the house, working on some project. Bella spent quite a bit of time in the evenings chatting with Sarah and Billy and sharing the odd game of cards or chess. One evening, Billy told her that Jacob was fixing up a couple of motorcycles that he'd got from a junk yard. Billy went on to explain how, although he and Sarah weren't too keen on their son riding a motorcycle, they were happy that he was working on the bikes rather than out causing trouble or doing drugs.

Bella couldn't help thinking that Jacob would suit being on a motorcycle, and she could imagine him in his leather jacket, being all mean and moody on the back of a bike. She had to remind herself again that her mind would most definitely not be going _there_ as she felt the subtle signs of her body's betrayal.

xXx

After his encounter with Bella on Sunday morning, Jacob had hardly seen her the rest of the week. He smiled to himself as he leaned over and picked up his wrench, thankful that he had his little hideaway he could retreat to, when he hadn't planned on going out. He had to admit to himself, though, that he was a little disappointed that when he was around, she hadn't been, and therefore, he couldn't have any of the _fun _he was hoping to have teasing her. But hey, there was plenty of time for that; she was going to be here for a few months at least. He laughed as he remembered how she tried to avoid looking at him and ended up getting an eyeful of his package. Jacob also remembered that each time he'd sat to have dinner and she was there, he couldn't concentrate on anything but her, which still managed to piss him off completely. He had continued to ignore her, and they hadn't spoken to one another all week or even glanced in each other's direction, not while the other was looking anyhow.

He was also aware that he kept thinking about _her_ when he was with Lauren, comparing everything they did – the way they spoke, smelled, dressed, fuck, even the way they ate. He just couldn't shake her out of his head. Even when he and Lauren were fucking, pictures of Bella would come to mind, and god, he'd never felt so horny, but he knew it wasn't right. He had a fucking gorgeous, hot girlfriend willing to do almost anything for him, and all he could think of was fucking the mousy, plain girl who annoyed the hell out of him.

Jacob sighed, shaking his head. Tomorrow night was the beach party. He knew the other guys were really looking forward to seeing her. He also knew that most of his boys had a thing for her, apart from Embry who was so besotted with Leah he never paid any attention to any other female. Paul was playing it cool as usual, but Jacob knew he'd always had a soft spot for the little pale-faced girl when they were kids. Even though he was three years older than them, he was never afraid to tell everyone how cute she was, but as they got older he added that she was far too sweet and innocent for him.

Quil and Jared were just goof balls, full of talk and wouldn't know what to do with a girl if they got one. They both joked about how they'd _do_ Bella given half the chance; Jacob replied that they wouldn't have a clue how to _do _anything. Then there was Seth, Leah's little brother, just turned sixteen and desperate for a girlfriend and some action. He liked Bella a lot and really got along well with her, considering she was his sister's best friend. But even though he wished Bella would notice him, he knew he was probably too young for her, like Paul had said. Jacob laughed at the thought of poor Seth having constant wet dreams over Little Miss Perfect. Then he reminded himself angrily that it was pretty much what he'd been doing too! Fuck that girl; fuck this shit!

xXx

The week had passed in a blur, and before she knew it, Bella was in front of the mirror applying her makeup and drying her hair. Her stomach was in knots, and she felt as though a dozen butterflies had made a home there. She was excited to be going out and seeing the guys, who she hadn't seen in such a long time. They hadn't been at the party at Leah's place the other week; it had mainly been adults apart from her, Leah, Seth, and _him. _

She felt her face go red when she remembered Paul would be there too. Bella had always had a little crush on Paul Lahote. He was a bit older than her and the other guys, and Bella always thought he was so mature, sensible, and incredibly good looking. She thought about when she was little and had been upset by Jacob's constant teasing, and she had always hoped that Paul would come and rescue her – her knight in shining armor.

Unfortunately, it never happened, but he did tell her she was cute and had kissed her cheek one day, asking her if he could see if her skin felt as soft and delicate as it looked. Bella had gulped and expected Paul to touch her arm with his fingertips, but he had leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. From that moment forward, Bella thought she was in love, but she was only twelve at the time, and the following weekend, she'd seen Paul walking along the beach hand-in-hand with a girl who looked about the same age as him. Bella's heart broke that day, and she realized Paul would never be her knight in shining armor.

Bella was just finishing drying her hair when Leah came through the bedroom door. She let out a low whistle when she saw Bella and stood looking at her with her hands on her hips, smiling like crazy. Bella took this as a good sign that Leah approved of what she was wearing and how she looked. She rarely wore make up, but since she and Leah had become teenagers and had started going out, Leah had encouraged Bella to wear some and dress more fashionably. So, after discussing what they would be wearing tonight over the phone, Bella had settled on a pair of three-quarter length, black skinny jeans and a fitting, yellow sleeveless tee that scoped low at the front, showing just a hint of cleavage. Bella had dried her hair out and decided to wear it down; the big curls tumbled over her shoulders as Bella quickly gave them a spritz of shiny hairspray.

Declaring she was ready, she quickly slipped on her ballet pumps, applied some more natural lip gloss, and grabbed her purse.

As they walked through the living room, Sarah and Billy looked over from where they were seated on the couch. Bella knew _he _had already left about an hour earlier, so she felt quite confident as she did a little twirl for them; they clapped their hands and told her she looked beautiful. Of course, so did Leah, they added. Bella quickly grabbed the large bowl of rice she'd made for the party and made her way to the door. She felt good; and as the girls walked out of the front door, she told Leah she was planning on having a great time tonight. She promised herself she wouldn't ruin her evening worrying about arrogant assholes.

xXx

Jacob had left early to pick up Lauren, but he was a bit annoyed that he had to drive. He was hoping to have a drink tonight, and if he had gone straight to the beach from his house, he would have been able to walk it, but the beach was a bit further from Lauren's, and she would no doubt complain all fucking night if he had insisted on them walking from her place. So he told her she could do the driving, since she didn't want to walk.

He was still undecided if he would crash at her place later or walk home from hers and leave the Rabbit there. It had caused a bit of friction between them earlier in the day; Lauren wanted to drink too, but Jacob was firm and told her either they walked or she drove and didn't drink. Otherwise, she could stay at home and he'd go to the beach by himself. So she had reluctantly agreed to drive back and not touch a drop of alcohol.

When Jacob saw Lauren coming down the path, making her way to the car, all he could see were legs and tits. She was wearing the tiniest black mini skirt he'd ever seen and had some killer heels on. She also wore a tight red top that fit her so snugly her boobs were fighting each other to escape it.

Normally, Jacob would have loved her outfit, especially if it had just been the two of them, and it was for his eyes only. But tonight he just felt that she looked like a hooker, and what was with the heels? They were going to the beach, not a fucking club.

Jacob sighed irritably as Lauren got in the car. He was going to drive there, and then she would be driving back later. Jacob glanced quickly at the expanse of thigh that was staring up at him from the passenger seat then glanced up to Lauren. She was looking at him with a raised eyebrow, as though waiting for something. Jacob quickly leaned across the consol and gave her a quick peck on the lips but didn't linger. He turned on the ignition, stepped on the gas, and pulled off.

xXx

Bella and Leah reached the beach in no time, and as they made their way through the trees following the path down to the beach, they could hear the guys' voices calling out to each other and laughing loudly. As they came out of the trees and reached the sand, they were greeted by the sight of about seven huge, tanned, muscular, shirtless guys playing ball. Bella knew Jacob was there immediately and couldn't help but notice him falter slightly as she and Leah made their way over to the food and drink. It was there that Bella saw Lauren, standing slightly off to the side on her own, looking bored and playing with her fingernails in between small glances at Jacob.

As Bella and Leah put the food, they'd brought down with the rest of the things, Leah's cousin Emily came over to say hello. She was with a few other girls that Bella didn't really know but seemed to recognize slightly. They all seemed really nice and chatted to Bella easily.

After about ten minutes, the guys finished their game and came over to join the girls. Bella recognized Quil, Embry, Jared, and Seth and smiled at them as they approached. Quil let out a low whistle as he came closer to Bella and eyed her up and down approvingly. Bella blushed furiously at the sudden attention she was receiving as Seth and Jared also eyed her appreciatively. She was also a little flustered at the sudden amount of muscle that appeared right in front of her. Seth cracked a joke that Bella found quite funny and she laughed out loud; he looked around quite smugly and was obviously pleased with himself… until Quil punched him in the arm and they started wrestling on the floor.

While Seth and Quil continued to roll around at Bella's feet, Embry and Leah introduced her to the guys she didn't recognize – Colin and Brady – who appeared to be Seth's age but were still tall, handsome, and very muscular.

Bella couldn't help noticing that Jacob had gone off to stand with Lauren, who seemed to be a little pissed off at, she guessed, being left on her own. She also noticed that she couldn't see Paul anywhere; and Bella suddenly felt a little disappointed.

It was then that Jared asked Emily where Sam was, and she replied that he and Paul would be here shortly with some beers and other alcohol. The guys suddenly whooped and started slapping each other, while Bella and the rest of the girls laughed at their childish antics.

xXx

The guys had decided to play ball while they waited for Sam and Paul to come back with some booze and music. They had all stripped off their shirts and were racing around like lunatics. But Jacob suddenly lost his footing, fuck. There she was, heading over to the food with Leah, and… fuck it! Jacob quickly recovered and carried on messing around with the guys. But he couldn't help the little glances in her direction. Shit, he would have to get a grip, but hell, she looked different; she looked fucking hot. Not in a sleazy way like Lauren. Shit, Lauren! He'd forgotten she was over by the food on her own. He looked over at his girlfriend, who stood slightly away from everyone else not attempting to talk to anyone. Then he glanced at _her _again, and yeah, there she was, chatting, smiling, and joining in the conversation with Emily and the other girls – so fucking perfect. He looked back at Lauren, dressed like she was out touting for business, and couldn't help wondering what _she _would think of Lauren, or what she'd think of him seeing a girl like Lauren.

After a few more minutes, Quil had called quits, saying he was desperate to go check out Bella. Of course Seth almost raced him to where the girls were while the rest of the guys sauntered over to them, trying to look as cool as possible.

Jacob made his way over to Lauren, who looked bored out of her mind. As he approached her, she rolled her eyes and started moaning at him for leaving her on her own. Jacob wasn't really paying attention; he was more interested in what was happening a few feet away. He heard Quil whistle and could see her laughing at something Seth had said, flicking her curls back and blushing. Fuck! She was fucking blushing. Jacob brought his attention back to Lauren; she was still complaining about not really wanting to be here and asking him if he wanted to leave and go somewhere where they could have some fun. Jacob felt her hands running up and down his chest as he glanced back over to where the little crowd gathered. Did he really want to stay here and put up with seeing her laughing and blushing, while the guys fell over themselves trying to impress her?

Suddenly, Jacob made up his mind. Sam and Paul had arrived and placed the booze and some speakers down by the food. Emily was introducing Sam to Bella, and she smiled sweetly at him and said hello. But then Paul was there, right in front of her, picking her up, twirling her around and telling everyone how he couldn't believe that _his_ cutest little pale-faced girl was all grown up now.

Jacob clenched his fists as his hands hung at his sides. Lauren was still trying to work her charm on him and had started whispering to Jacob what she'd like to do to him. But Jacob wasn't listening; he was really pissed off and stepped back from her.

"If you wanna go, then fucking go, but I'm staying!" And with that he marched over to the small group of friends and helped himself to beer.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you to my wonderful Beta jkane 180! In this story Jacob's mom Sarah is alive, and will remain so. Billy is not in a wheelchair... I hope you all enjoy reading this and as always, I really do appreciate any reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

Bella was speechless; she hadn't expected Paul to pay her much attention. So to be swept up in his arms in front of everyone was a little overwhelming. As he put her back down, Bella wobbled slightly on her shaky legs. Luckily, Paul still held her securely. She looked up at him and smiled, not quite sure what to do with her own hands. When he'd suddenly picked her up, she'd instinctively put them on his shoulders, but now that seemed a little too intimate. So she slowly placed her own hands over his, which were on her waist, and tentatively removed them while telling him how great it was to see him again

For a few brief minutes, she'd forgotten about Jacob's presence. But now she was all too aware that he had joined the group and was standing close by, observing her interaction with Paul. She didn't look at him directly but could see in her peripheral that he was drinking from a beer bottle and could sense his eyes on her. Suddenly, without warning, Paul threw his arm around Bella's shoulders and looked over at Jacob, asking Bella how life was treating her at the Black residence.

Feeling very self conscious and a little nervous, Bella glanced in Jacob's direction. He was watching her intently with the bottle resting on his lips and one corner of his mouth turned up in a cocky grin. Bella's stomach did a flip as their eyes met, and she could feel her face growing redder – if that was even possible. Clearing her throat, she looked back up at Paul and told him that Sarah and Billy were lovely and she'd learned a few card games that Billy had taught her.

Jared quickly jumped in on the conversation, warning Bella with a wink not to play any card games with Jacob or she'd end up losing her clothes. The guys laughed and Quil slapped Jared on the back as he added that maybe they should all have a card game later tonight. Bella could hear the girls protesting about how Jared and Quil always managed to cheat and how the guys in general were just a bunch of perverts. Seth was next to Embry, and although he was smiling, he looked a little uncomfortable with the other guys' antics.

Bella tried to laugh with the others but was becoming more and more conscious of Jacob. He just stood there, not laughing or speaking. She tried not to look at him, but the urge was too strong. She glanced back at him to find he was still watching her. He drained his beer, and as he took the bottle away from his mouth, he raised an eyebrow, and let his eyes roam over her body, licking his lips suggestively. Bella was incensed. How dare he look at her like that! With his girlfriend just a few feet away from them as well!

At that moment, Lauren suddenly appeared at Jacob's side, snaking an arm around his waist and running her other hand up his chest. Suddenly, all feelings of self-consciousness were gone, and Bella just felt angry and pissed off. She was so annoyed she'd forgotten that Paul still had his arm draped over her shoulder. She quickly disentangled herself from him and walked past Jacob to grab herself a beer then returned to stand between Jared and Paul. Taking a large gulp of the cold liquid, she said – a little louder than she'd anticipated – that she had no intention of playing any type of game with Jacob Black.

All the guys laughed again and whooped, looking at Jacob for some response, but Bella didn't wait to see or hear it. She walked over to where Leah and Emily now stood and was relieved when Leah linked arms with her and pulled her away from the crowd slightly to put her iPod into the docking station Sam had brought along.

xXx

Feeling the beer run down his throat, Jacob realized he was thirstier than he'd thought. He watched her with Paul and felt slightly smug when he noticed she didn't look too comfortable in Paul's embrace. He grinned with the bottle at his lips when he saw her move Paul's hands from her waist. Yeah, it was subtle, but she definitely didn't want them there. He wondered if she would have done the same if it were his hands on her body.

Fuck, Paul was persistent. Now he had his arm around her shoulders. Jacob was just beginning to feel a little pissed again when Paul asked her how life was at his place. This could be interesting, he thought and felt pretty cocky as he remembered how he'd refused to speak to her. But then their eyes met, her big brown ones locked on his for maybe a second, but Jacob felt something. He didn't know what, but his heart sped up and his dick twitched. She was blushing; fuck, she was fucking blushing. Not at another guy's joke, but him. Jacob could see the blush down her neck, spreading lower. The slight pink tinge showed up against the yellow of her top – her top which was cut pretty low for Little Miss Perfect.

Jacob heard her mention something about playing cards with his dad, and Jared said something about her losing her clothes if she played with him. He could hear the guys laughing, but it all just seemed like some background noise. His thoughts were on her being fucking naked, losing her clothes while they _played _together. He wondered again how far that pretty blush went. He let his eyes drift down her body, pausing briefly at her tits. They weren't as big as Lauren's, but they were still a nice size. A nice fucking handful, Jacob thought as he drained the bottle of beer. He continued admiring her slender figure, raising his eyebrow when he realized she was watching him. He licked his lips as he thought about how good she would taste, and he knew he was beginning to get hard.

Then he was jolted out of his thoughts by Lauren. Again, he'd completely forgotten about her. She'd obviously decided to stay. She wrapped her arm around his waist and was running her hand up his chest, scraping her nails over his bare skin. Fuck, how he wished it was _her _hand on him right now. Lauren was whispering how sorry she was for moaning and told him that she would stay with him. But Jacob wasn't really listening. He was more concerned with the sweet smell of jasmine and honeysuckle, as Little Miss Perfect flounced past him and got herself a beer. Fuck, she was going to drink; the under-aged, chief-of-police's daughter was going to have a fucking drink. Then he heard her say that she didn't intend on playing any games with him. Jacob could hear the guys laughing loudly at her comment, but he was too preoccupied with what was going on in his head.

Well, well, Jacob thought as he saw her take off towards Leah. He chuckled to himself. So, Little Miss Perfect grew up to be a little feisty and rebellious. I can't wait to have some fucking fun with her, he thought to himself as his girlfriend continued to whisper in his ear. She was encouraged by his arousal, which she could now feel through his jeans as she rubbed herself against him. Little did Lauren know that she wasn't the cause of it; his mind was on how naughty and feisty Little Miss Perfect could get, especially if he succeeded in winding her up and _playing _with her a little.

xXx

Bella tried to block out _him _and his _girlfriend_, who were now in the process of attempting to eat each other, although she couldn't help noticing that he seemed a little less enthusiastic than her. But Bella was trying hard to avoid looking at them at all. She happily chatted to everyone and made a special effort to share a joke with Seth. She felt a little guilty about his crush on her. She really liked Seth and had to admit that he was the whole package: good looking, a lovely personality, kind, and caring. The only downside was that he was a couple of years younger than her, and he was Leah's little brother, which meant that he was like her little brother too. She couldn't really see him as anything else, and she was sure he knew this, but she still couldn't help feeling guilty when he looked at her with his puppy dog eyes.

While Bella and Seth were talking, Leah turned up the music and grabbed ahold of Embry. Bella and Seth looked on as Leah started grinding herself up against Embry, who was looking mighty pleased with himself. Bella laughed as Seth grabbed her arm and started moving towards her in time with the music. She tried to protest, but Seth pushed his bottom lip out in an adorable sad face, and she was helpless. Telling him he was using very unfair tactics and reminding him, this was a friendly dance and to keep his hands in the friendly zone, as she laughingly accepted his invitation.

Bella had finished her beer and was already beginning to loosen up as the alcohol started to take effect. She laughed as Seth moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. Bella was aware that he was holding himself back slightly; always the gentleman, he would never overstep the boundaries. They danced and laughed, and while they were enjoying themselves, Bella was almost oblivious to _him_; almost. She then caught a glimpse of _him_ and his girlfriend dancing a bit further away from her and Seth. She didn't look at them. As soon as she knew where they were, she avoided looking in that direction altogether. She'd told Leah she was going to have a good time and she meant it, damn it.

After a couple of tracks Bella told Seth she needed a drink and went over to help herself to another beer. Seth looked concerned and asked her if she should really be drinking. Bella assured him that she had no intention of getting drunk and could definitely handle another beer. Seth reluctantly watched her take a few gulps from the new bottle when Paul appeared at her side. He asked Seth if he minded loaning out his dance partner for a bit, to which Seth told him of course he didn't as long as Bella was happy about it. Bella smiled at Seth then looked at Paul, who was waiting for her to indicate that she was going to take him up on his offer. Bella quickly put down her bottle of beer and walked back to where she and Seth had been dancing.

As she and Paul joined the group, she suddenly found Jacob staring right at her and Paul. He had his arms around his girlfriend; her face appeared to be attached to his neck. But Bella noticed that he didn't look very happy. She knew that Paul and Jacob were friends and worked together at the garage. She'd always had a little thing for Paul, and she suddenly thought of an idea to have a little fun with them both. Surely her flirting with _his _friend was bound to piss Jacob off a bit, and she definitely wanted to piss him off right now.

The more she thought about him, the angrier she got. She pictured him sucking face with his slutty-looking girlfriend when not a few minutes earlier he was eye-fucking her. Bella let out a breath as she thought how disgusting they both looked, especially the tramp he was with. God, how could a guy be proud to show _her_ off to his friends? She was an embarrassment to the female race. She looked over at Jacob, suddenly feeling a lot more confident and knowing it was the alcohol that gave her a boost. She caught his eye again and purposely threw her head back, shaking her curls down her back and wrapping her arms snugly around Paul's neck. She began to move her body slowly against him, mimicking Leah's movements with Embry. She didn't have to be particularly careful with Paul like she was with Seth; after all, she didn't want to lead Seth on. But she knew Paul would enjoy her being a little flirty, and what harm could it do? She knew Paul was a huge flirt himself; she could play him at his own game and piss Jacob off at the same time.

She giggled when Paul whispered in her ear. She moved her body seductively as the tempo changed, and she enjoyed feeling Paul's hands on her waist. As Bella felt a warm sensation flowing through her body, Paul moved to dance behind her. Pulling her into his chest, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and moved with her to the beat of the music. Bella looked over at Jacob; he was still watching her with narrowed eyes. She closed her eyes, satisfied that her little plan seemed to be working and leaned her head back into Paul's chest. She could feel his body moving against her; she had her hands on his arms and could feel his muscles as he held her tightly. She was lost in the moment, moving to the music against Paul's big strong body with thoughts racing through her head. Then before she knew it, she was dancing with _him, _leaning against him, big and strong. Jacob had his arms wrapped around her with his lips in her hair then by the top of her ear, on her neck. It felt so good being this close to him; she could feel something else behind her that indicated _he_ was really enjoying dancing this closely with her too.

Bella sighed contently; she felt his lips come close to her ear again and heard him whisper how hot she looked tonight. But it wasn't Jacob's voice, it was Paul's. Bella opened her eyes; she knew it was the alcohol that had made her think of _him_ like that. She also realized that from where Paul was dancing behind her he had a perfect view down her low-cut top. And from what she could feel prodding her back, he was definitely enjoying the view. Bella pulled away from Paul and told him she needed her drink. Knowing that she really should have just gotten a bottle of water, she picked up her beer bottle and gulped down the rest of the liquid.

xXx

Lauren was watching Jacob; Jacob was watching Bella. He'd told Lauren he couldn't stand Bella and had explained that she had to stay with him and his parents for a few months while her dad was out of town and their house was being fixed up. Lauren wasn't happy about it, but she trusted her Jake. But of course, she hadn't seen Bella before tonight, and now Lauren couldn't help feeling a little concerned. Sure, Jacob had told her Bella Swan was a plain, mousy, goody two-shoes whose idea of adventure and excitement was having a fucking orgasm over 'Moby Dick.' But the girl Lauren was looking at was not so plain looking after all, and from the reaction of almost all of the guys here, she wasn't the only one thinking that. She noticed Jake couldn't keep his eyes off her either. Yeah, he did it discreetly, but Lauren could see he was watching her every fucking move. Lauren walked over to Jacob, deciding she couldn't risk leaving; she had to stay with her man and make sure _everyone_ knew he was hers. Okay, so he'd lost his temper with her a little… That was her Jake; he was moody, but he was still hers. She'd just have to make it up to him.

She put her arm around his waist and scraped her nails up his chest. She whispered in his ear how she'd love to suck him off over in the trees while everyone else was just a short distance away. She rubbed herself up against him and felt him getting hard. Boring Bella had gone over to talk to Leah, so Lauren took the opportunity to get Jacob's full attention. She held his face in her hands and brought her lips to his. She kissed him passionately as he moaned quietly, welcoming her tongue into his warm mouth, but Lauren couldn't help feeling that he wasn't really into it.

Jacob pulled away from their kiss as the sound of music and laughter filled the air. Lauren could see Seth dancing with Bella, and grabbing Jacob by the hand, she pulled him over to where they and some others were dancing. As they began to move slowly to the music, she rested her head on his shoulder. She loved being in Jacob's big, strong arms. It made her feel so feminine and secure, even though she was only a few inches shorter than him. Lauren slowing began running her tongue along Jacob's jaw and down his neck, stopping at his pulse point and sucking gently.

She suddenly felt Jacob's head jerk slightly, and followed his gaze to where Bella was now dancing up close with Paul. Lauren felt Jacob's body stiffen, and it wasn't stiff in the good way she liked him. She pulled him closer and rested her head back against his neck, placing small kisses up and down his tan skin. He was still watching Bella and Paul when Lauren heard, or to be more exact, _felt_ a growl in the back of his throat. It was then that Lauren realized Jacob didn't dislike Bella half as much as he said he did.

xXx

Bella had just finished her second bottle of beer, and Paul stood closely next to her. He was eagerly talking to her about anything and everything, and Bella was enjoying his company. It certainly helped to take her mind off that asshole, who was still dancing, with what looked like a huge, overly made-up leech attached to his neck. Bella was amazed at how Jacob wasn't even hiding the fact that he was looking at her, even in front of his girlfriend. She felt a little excited and nervous to know that her little plan of playing with Paul was having the desired effect on Jacob, and he appeared to be well and truly pissed off.

After about ten more minutes of dancing and chatting, everyone grabbed some food and sat on various pieces of driftwood. Bella sat with Leah and Embry, while Paul found a space beside her. Everyone else scattered around, and Sam was in the process of lighting a fire in the middle of the group. Bella felt a little disappointed as she looked around and noticed that the guys had put on their tops and there were no more bare chests on display, until her eyes fell on Jacob; he was just pulling his t-shirt over his head. Bella looked at his torso quickly while his face was covered. All the guys in the group had incredible physiques, even Seth, Colin, and Brady, but she reluctantly had to admit to herself that Jacob was by far the most impressive. He appeared to be more muscular than the others, and his abs were so well defined. Bella could hear Paul talking to Embry as she continued to watch Jacob. He pulled the hem of his shirt down over his stomach, and Bella instantly felt as though she couldn't breathe. Jacob was wearing a very tight fitting, white v-neck t-shirt; she could see the material stretched over his taught muscles.

She dropped her gaze to her plate, hoping that her scrutiny of him had gone unnoticed. But as she quickly peered back at him from under her lashes, their eyes met again, and from the smug look on his face, Bella knew she'd been caught. She quickly turned to look at Paul and joined in on the conversation he was having with Embry but kept thinking of Jacob in that white v-neck. She quickly looked at what Paul was wearing. If anyone had asked her what color shirt he was wearing tonight, she honestly wouldn't have been able to tell them. She felt very guilty and repeated in her head, dark blue tee, dark blue tee, Damn that white v-neck, and damn Jacob Black.

Bella was trying to concentrate on what Embry and Paul were saying when Leah grabbed her hand and pulled her over to sit next to her a little way away from the guys. Leah was staring at Bella with a raised eyebrow and then inclined her head towards Jacob. Bella groaned and continued to eat her food. Leah leaned forward and, in a voice that was barely a whisper, asked Bella, "what the hell is going on? Because for a couple who supposedly have a mutual dislike of each other, there is an awful lot of eye-fucking going on…"


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you to my wonderful Beta jkane180 and to the lovely ladies on Twitter for their encouragement. Up until now there has been virtually no dialogue, and this was intentional. I was trying to represent the non-verbal relationship between Jacob and Bella. However, this chapter has the first bit of dialogue between them and I really hope it works. I know I'm making Jacob out to be a real bad boy and a few of you may not like this, I love Jacob and wanted to experiment with him being completely OOC, and personally I love Bad!Ass Jacob... So sorry if he doesn't 'do it' for you, I'm hoping at some point in this story he'll win you all over. As always I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love to hear your views. I really do appreciate all your reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

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Bella almost choked on the rice she'd just shoved in her mouth. Recovering and looking at Leah, eyes wide with shock, she began to protest in a hissed whisper that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, going on between her and that egotistical, moronic asshole, Jacob Black. Leah grinned and raised an eyebrow even higher as Bella added that a few dirty looks exchanged between sworn enemies could most definitely _not _be mistaken as eye-fucking.

Leah placed her plate on her lap and put her hands up in mock surrender, suggesting that maybe she had been mistaken and that she wouldn't dare suggest such a thing again. Bella still looked agitated but gave a disgruntled huff, telling Leah she would forgive her this once. Then she continued to eat, even though she didn't feel hungry at all.

Leah quickly changed the subject and started talking to Bella about Embry. Bella paid attention enough to nod her head in all the right places and murmur agreement occasionally, but, really, her mind was elsewhere.

How could Leah think that she had been looking at Jacob _that_ way? Okay, she had to admit, he'd definitely looked at her like that – she'd even thought it herself, and it had made her feel angry and uncomfortable, especially with his so-called girlfriend right there. Yeah, he'd seriously eye-fucked her earlier.

The thought made Bella's heart race, and she could feel a tingling sensation that started at the pit of her stomach but was rapidly spreading lower. Oh god, she thought. Thinking of him looking at her like _that_ was causing her body to react; it was turning her on, and she needed to stop thinking about him right now.

She could feel herself getting hotter… The more she tried not to think of him, the harder it was to dispel the images invading her head. She remembered him in the little white towel, then in his black boxer briefs. She groaned as she wondered if the way she'd looked at him could be mistaken in _that _way. Had she really done _that_?

Hearing Bella's groan, Leah looked at her and asked if she was okay. Bella quickly replied that she was just feeling really full and couldn't eat another bite. As she said it, she pictured Lauren sucking on Jacob's neck, and she wondered if he tasted as good as he smelled. She quickly shook her head, not quite able to believe where her mind was going. She had to remind herself there was much more to a person than looks alone, and as far as she could tell, his looks and physical appearance were the only things he had going on. She decided she needed to stop thinking about him period.

She laughed nervously as Leah continued to look at her, and she joked that the beer she'd drunk must have gone straight to her head. She really wanted to believe what she was saying and was trying to convince herself it was only the alcohol she'd consumed that was causing her to be so turned on by Jacob Black.

To Bella's relief, Embry and Paul came over to join them. She looked up at Paul standing in front of her with a smile. Bella's eyes roamed over his body as she welcomed the distraction from her Jacob-infested thoughts. Paul put out his hand, asking if she wanted to dance some more. She giggled and accepted, then looked over at Leah, who rolled her eyes in response.

The rest of the night passed quickly. There was a lot of dancing, laughing, eating, and drinking, and Bella was very grateful that there were no party games. She dreaded having to take part in a game of 'Truth or Dare' or 'Spin the Bottle.' She wouldn't normally have minded playing those games – she wasn't that boring; she knew how to have some fun – but with _him_ here she just wouldn't have felt comfortable.

She had another beer at one point and was feeling very tipsy, but she made a real effort not to look at Jacob Black, or his sucking leech of a girlfriend, for the rest of the night, which she found incredibly difficult since she felt like she was attached to some invisible thread being constantly pulled in his direction. To her delight, they left about an hour before everybody else, and Bella automatically felt at ease. She felt something else too, when he left, and she had no idea what that was. As she saw him leave with his arm around _her _waist, she felt a little deflated, and she had to admit to herself, a little bit of excitement from earlier had now gone. Surprised by how she felt, she told herself she really shouldn't have had that last beer.

When the party started winding down, Leah, Seth, and Embry said they'd walk Bella home, but Paul insisted that he'd happily walk her back to the Blacks' place. He really wouldn't take no for an answer, and after quietly assuring Leah that he wouldn't try anything with Bella – Leah knew exactly what Paul was like – she'd agreed to let him, as long as Bella was okay with it.

Bella was more than happy to be walked home by Paul and beamed from ear to ear as they left together. She wondered whether he'd be her knight in shining armor after all, since she'd really enjoyed his company tonight and found him to be funny, charming, mature, and extremely hot.

As they walked side by side, they talked about when they were kids. Bella shyly admitted she had a crush on him back then, and Paul replied that he thought she was pretty cute too. They joked and laughed easily, and Bella had forgotten about Jacob until they came to the little path at the front of the small red house.

Paul walked her to the door and asked if he could see her again. Bella agreed and smiled enthusiastically as they exchanged numbers, programming them into each other's phones. As he handed her phone back to her, he smiled and asked if her skin was still as soft and delicate as it looked. Bella laughed out loud and told him there was no way she'd fall for that line ever again. Paul smiled – a very sexy smile – and chuckled as he told her she couldn't blame a guy for trying and that he'd have to think of another line to use on her before they went out again.

He took her hand in his and brushed his thumb over her fingers. Then, bringing her hand to his lips, he gently kissed her knuckles. He looked at her, winked as he let go of her hand, and told her he would call before turning and walking back down the path.

Bella sighed and thought to herself, How romantic! as she watched Paul walk down the road. Then she let herself into the house with the key Sarah had given her and suddenly jumped when she saw Jacob laying across the couch with his arms folded behind his head, watching her.

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Jacob had enough of seeing Paul and Bella draped all over each other. He was completely pissed off and knew she was doing this just to get to him. Paul was his friend and a work colleague. Sure, he knew Paul always had a thing for Little Miss Perfect, but the thought of them actually being together really got to Jacob for some reason. He decided that he and Lauren would head home. He didn't want to see anymore; he'd had enough.

Lauren drove as Jacob got lost in his thoughts. He pictured the way Bella was dancing with Paul. What the fuck was that about? She must have known what Paul was like, but she'd certainly seemed to enjoy dancing with him, with his arms around her fucking waist and her hands all over him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He was so annoyed with himself for getting _so _worked up over _her_.

Why the fuck did it matter to him if she danced with the whole male population of La Push? Fuck, what would it matter to him if she decided to spread her legs for all of them? But for some reason, it did fucking matter, and that's what was niggling Jacob now. He couldn't get her out of his head, but the thought of her with Paul – hell, with anyone – was enough to drive Jacob crazy.

What the fuck was she doing to him? It was like he was under some fucking spell, and he couldn't break it. He looked over at Lauren, who was concentrating on the road ahead and singing to some song on the radio. Jacob smirked as he recognized it was Lady GaGa's 'Bad Romance.' So fucking perfect! Lauren looked at Jacob and smiled; he gave a half-hearted grin back. Right now, he didn't want to be with Lauren; he wanted to be home, in his garage, beating the shit out of the punching bag that hung in the corner.

In no time, they pulled up outside Lauren's place. She shut off the engine and leaned over to him, resting her hand high up on the inside of his thigh. She asked him if he was planning on staying over or if he wanted to take a walk in the trees at the back of her house. Yeah, he knew what that meant – they had often fucked in the seclusion of those trees – but tonight Jacob just wasn't up for it. He mentally cursed as he thought about how that little witch had even fucked up his libido.

He leaned over to kiss Lauren gently, telling her that he'd forgotten he needed to be up really early tomorrow morning so he'd better go but he'd call her tomorrow afternoon. Without giving Lauren a chance to argue, he quickly opened the passenger door of the Rabbit and started jogging back to his place.

He ran for a bit, just to get enough distance between him and his girlfriend, then he slowed to a walk as he continued to make his way home.

It didn't really take long for him to reach his house, and after the walk, Jacob was much calmer; he no longer felt the urge to punch the crap out of his punching bag.

He even chuckled as he thought about Lauren moaning that she didn't want to walk from her place to the beach earlier in the day. It really wasn't that far, but he guessed in the shoes she was wearing tonight it wouldn't have been the most comfortable walk.

He let himself into the house and checked his watch to see that it was only 12:30 – earlier than he would usually have been home, but it wasn't one of his typical nights out. Jacob looked around and started to make his way towards his bedroom, even though he wasn't in the least bit tired. Then he remembered he had left_ her_ at the beach with the others. He wondered what time she was planning on coming back as he turned and walked back into the living room.

Lying across the couch, he decided he'd just wait and check to see what time Little Miss Perfect got home. After all, he'd learned a little bit about her tonight, hadn't he? She drank beer and certainly knew how to dance. He would never have thought she could move her body the way she did tonight. And again, he pictured her dancing sexily up against Paul. Jacob felt his cock stiffen, which had become an all too familiar reaction whenever he thought of _her_.

He switched on the table lamp, quickly picked up one of his mom's TV magazines, and started reading it, just to take his mind off _her _and his hard on.

About half an hour later, Jacob heard voices outside the front door. He quickly put the magazine down and relaxed on the couch. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he recognized their voices and knew it was Bella and Paul. His heart sped up, and Jacob felt a fluttering sensation in his stomach as he heard her laugh out loud at something Paul said. He had never really heard her laugh properly before, and he groaned as he realized he liked it and wanted to hear it again. Fuck, it was that curse she'd put on him surely; that's what it had to be.

A few more minutes passed before he heard the door open, and he watched as she came into the house quietly. He saw her jump when she caught sight of him on the couch. It was in that moment that Jacob decided tonight he'd break his silence. He wanted to talk to her; he _needed _to talk to her!

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Bella quietly closed the door behind her and stood looking at Jacob for a couple of seconds while planning her next move. With her new confidence, fuelled by the alcohol and the good mood Paul had left her in, she decided she wouldn't scurry off to her room as usual. So she stuck her nose in the air and walked into to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Jacob stood from the couch and watched her, admiring her tiny figure in her tight jeans as she walked to the kitchen cupboard and attempted to reach a glass.

His eyes roamed over her body as she stretched up on tip-toes trying to reach one, but she couldn't. The more she stretched, the more her t-shirt rode up, exposing the pale ivory skin at her slim waist.

Before he realized what he was doing, Jacob started walking over towards her.

Bella cursed quietly, wondering why she had to stay with a family who was ridiculously tall? She tried to reach up on her tip-toes to reach for a glass. Why did Sarah have to have the glasses so high up? She wondered irritably as she tried to stretch her 5' 2" frame as far as it would go. She knew he was watching her, and it made her all the more determined to reach the damn thing.

She was almost ready to admit defeat when she felt him come up behind her. Pressing his body against hers he had her pinned between the kitchen counter and his chest. He effortlessly reached into the cupboard and picked out a glass.

Bringing his right hand down, he slowly placed the glass in front of her. Bella was all too aware that he'd put his other hand on the edge of the counter on her left side. He had her trapped between his huge body and the counter. She could feel his hard chest against her back and felt giddy and breathless being so close to him.

It seemed like they stood like that, unmoving with their bodies touching, for such a long time. Bella could barely breathe; her chest heaved as she quietly tried to take in air. She could feel his chest moving as he managed a few ragged breaths. She had to stop herself from closing her eyes and resting her head back against him. He felt so warm, hard, and safe; she wanted to melt into his body. But it was mere seconds they stood like that, no longer, and suddenly, she felt him move away from her as he walked back towards the living room.

Jacob's left hand itched. He'd placed it on the counter beside her, so fucking close! Just a few inches and he could've put it on her fucking waist. He tried to breathe normally, but each breath was more shaky than the last. He had to move, but he didn't want to. Fuck, right now he just wanted to wrap her in his arms and make her his. But he couldn't do that, and he wouldn't. Whatever this was... whatever he was feeling, it wasn't right... Who could possibly dislike someone, maybe even loath them, but _want _them at the same time?

It wasn't natural, and Jacob's head was spinning in confusion. He'd heard the stories about his tribe and the supposed magic that his ancestors possessed. Of course he was proud of his heritage, but he didn't believe in magic – until now. He wondered if Bella possessed some magic of her own because she had him under her spell, and fuck, he couldn't fight it... but he had to try! He couldn't let anyone know what she was doing to him.

He took in a deep breath, smelling her beautiful scent – fucking jasmine and honeysuckle – then shook his head and made his way back over to the living room.

Bella turned and in a quiet voice, said thank you as she saw him sink back down on the couch. He didn't respond, so she proceeded to fill the glass with water from the fridge.

Without thinking, she looked over at him and asked if he'd like a glass of water.

To her annoyance, Jacob laughed as he replied cockily, "Fuck, babe, are you that desperate to have my body on top of yours? Because there is no way you can reach another glass without my help, and you know it."

Bella felt flustered and angry. She'd been so stupid to think they had just made some kind of progress. She'd been lured into a false sense of security, and then the arrogant ass just had to open his filthy mouth and insult her.

She walked over to the couch, refusing to back down, but unsure what to say to him, so she blurted out, "I was just trying to be nice, you know; that was all. I don't want your body anywhere near mine, thank you very much. And don't call me 'babe;' I'm not your babe."

"Well, from the way you were checking me out tonight, honey, I'd say my body was pretty much all you could think about." He was smirking at her as he continued, "And I guess I should leave the 'babe' thing to Paul, huh? But to be honest, Bella, I'm fucking shocked, girl. I took you for a lot of things, but a slut wasn't one of them."

He was being harsh; he knew it… but, fuck, he couldn't let her get to him. He didn't want her to know what she was doing to him… Hell! _He_ had no fucking clue what she was doing to him.

Bella couldn't believe what she was hearing, but she didn't care. She had a great time tonight, and she wasn't going to let this dick ruin it for her.

"Well, I guess you'd be the expert on sluts, right? Considering you appear to be dating the biggest one in the USA." She almost winced as she realized how feeble her comeback was, but she wasn't used to arguing with him. Hell, she'd hardly ever spoken to him.

Jacob stood up and slowly walked towards Bella. She backed away a little and stopped when the back of her thighs came up against the arm of the Billy's chair.

"Oh, but, babe, you misunderstand me. I love sluts, the dirtier the better!" He chuckled, "But that's enough about me; I want to know a bit about you. So when are you planning on fucking Paul?"

Bella could feel herself turning crimson as he came closer. Her heart was pounding, and she was breathing rapidly. She noticed Jacob had lowered his eyes and was looking at her cleavage as she suddenly remembered how low cut her t-shirt was.

"I have no intention of fu…" Bella hesitated but knew he would just make more fun of her if she didn't say it, and lowering her voice to ensure she wouldn't wake Billy and Sarah, she continued, "…of fucking anyone; not that it's any of your business if I did. And since when did dancing with a guy mean a girl was a slut or that she wanted to sleep with him?" She was suddenly grateful to the beers she drank earlier since she believed that's where her sudden courage had come from, and she wasn't backing down.

"Well, shit, I never thought I'd see the day little Miss Perfect, Bella Swan, said the 'F' word. Maybe this little Swan's feathers aren't so white after all?" Jacob smirked. "Oh, and honey, just so you know, I fucking love it when girls talk dirty. Maybe you're really a dirty little black Swan, uh?" Jacob whispered as he reached out to touch a strand of her hair that rested over her left boob.

Bella could feel the adrenaline pumping through her body, which, mixed with the alcohol, left her feeling frightened, excited, and exhilarated.

Jacob's closeness was having a huge affect on her breathing, and the way he was talking to her, had her transfixed, almost in a trance. She saw his hand reach out to touch a strand of hair laying over her chest, and to her shock, she wanted it… she wanted him to touch her.

Suddenly realizing what he was about to do, Bella came to her senses and tried to smack his hand away, but Jacob was too quick, grabbed her wrist gently, and moved even closer, his mouth almost touching her ear.

"I know your little display with Paul was for my benefit, but you really didn't need to try and make me jealous, babe. If you want it, just ask. I'd be more than happy to oblige."

Laughing at Bella's shocked expression, Jacob let go of her wrist and thrust his hands in his jeans.

Realizing she still had the glass of water in her other hand, Bella suddenly threw the water in his face.

She quickly moved out of the way, adding, "It's never going to happen! You disgust me, you jerk!" She ran down the hall to her bedroom, but Jacob was there, right behind her, and as she turned to close the door, he put his arm out to stop it.

"I really wouldn't be so sure, babe, and by the way, feisty girls really turn me on!" He raised an eyebrow as he let go of the door and turned towards his own room.

Closing the door behind her, Bella stood, trying to catch her breath. She looked down at the empty glass in her hand and laughed.

She couldn't believe what had just happened. She'd stood up to Jacob Black, she'd thrown water over him, she'd insulted him, and now she wanted nothing more than to be back in the kitchen, pinned to the counter by his incredible chest. _Arrgghh… Stupid, Bella, real stupid!_


	7. Chapter 7

A/N Thanks to my wonderful Beta jkane180 and to all the lovely ladies on Twitter for their encouragement. One of which is the wonderful Beckie_T108 whom I was fortunate enough to meet while on vacation. We had an awesome day in Hollywood! And not forgetting my task mistress Madame Tundetre who got me into this writing lark in the first place! Stormcascade stop pacing... it's finally here! lol Thank you ladies x

I'm so sorry for the delay in updates. No excuses, I'm just useless and I haven't replied to reviews for a while either, believe me I really do read and appreciate them all and I love that readers take the time to leave comments. I will try to do better in replying in the future... I hope you liked the first piece of dialogue between Jacob and Bella in the last chapter. The story will continue to only really have dialogue when it is between the two of them. I hope it works!

This story is rated M for a reason, bad language and sexual situations ahead.

As always I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love to hear your views. I really do appreciate all your reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

Jacob closed his door behind him and strode across the room, running both hands through his hair. "Fuck, man. What the fuck were you thinking?" he mumbled to himself as he reached down to pull off his wet shirt. Why did he have to act like such a jerk around her? Getting all up in her face?

It was that spell or curse, or whatever the fuck it was, that she'd put on him. She made him crazy; she'd always made him crazy. Even when they were kids she had some kind of power over him. That's why he did what he did, acted like an ass whenever he was around her. He was always trying to fight it – the pull he felt towards her. But, fuck, it was getting stronger, and it was different now too.

When they were younger, he always seemed to seek her out when he wasn't even looking for her. She was there all the fucking time. He just wanted to get away from his sisters, looking for a little peace and quiet, and damn, wherever he went, she was there. Whenever he saw her, he had a strange feeling, especially when she wouldn't even look at him or acknowledge he was there. So he had to show her he was there, right? Had to get her attention somehow. Yeah, he was pretty mean back then, but he couldn't change that now – what was done was done.

But seeing her now – fuck no, he'd really noticed it over the last couple of years – that strange feeling had changed and was more intense. She still made him angry, or at least, he thought it was her that made him angry, but thinking about it now – how he had felt tonight – maybe it wasn't her so much. He was beginning to realize that maybe it was how she made him feel that pissed him off, not actually _her_.

But he couldn't deny it any longer, especially after tonight. He fucking wanted her, and even though she'd said he 'disgusted' her, he was pretty sure she wanted him too. He caught her watching him at the beach tonight, and then back in the house, the way she reacted in the kitchen... He had expected her to run off to her room or shove him away, but fuck no, she stayed there. He couldn't be certain, but he was sure she was leaning into him a little too, and her breathing had changed. Hell, he knew he was leaning into her, and he could hardly breathe himself. There was so much static in the air they could have created their own electrical storm. She had to feel it too, right? He wasn't imagining it – no way.

Jacob flopped down on his bed. He knew she was just across the hall thinking about him. Okay, so he didn't know for sure. She could be thinking about Paul instead; after all, they'd looked kind of cozy tonight all wrapped up in each other's arms. Jacob smirked as he thought about their little interaction in the living room. He'd most definitely left some kind of impression on her tonight; she just had to be thinking about him – fuck Paul.

He lay there listening for any sound coming from across the hall. It was torture knowing that she was so close. It would be so easy just to go into her room and make her his, make her whisper his name – no scream his name – as he pounded into her over and over. Okay, maybe her screaming wouldn't be such a good idea with his parents sleeping next door, he thought, grinning to himself.

But then his thoughts became serious. He'd never force himself on her, no matter how frustrated he got. Yeah, he could be a moody dick sometimes, who drank a little and cursed a lot, but he wasn't a bad person, and he'd never take a woman against her will. But, if she wanted it, and gave him some clear indication that she really wanted it, then shit, who was he to deny her what would most likely be the best fuck of her life?

Jacob chuckled as he reached down to undo his pants and slide them off. He wondered if she'd meant what she said as he threw them across the room. Did she really find him disgusting? He couldn't really blame her if she did think that. He'd called her a slut, hadn't he? And what the fuck was that about? Of course she wasn't a slut. He'd just said that to try and get a rise out of her, to piss her off a little, and fuck, it worked. She impressed him though. She'd stood up to him for once, and he loved it. He liked what he saw of her tonight. She drank, she flirted – not with him, but what the hell – she cursed, and she gave as good as she got. Fuck, she definitely wasn't a slut, but from what he'd seen tonight, Little Miss Perfect, Bella Swan, was no fucking angel either, and Jacob wanted to get to know her a little bit better. He folded his arms behind his head, saying, "Goodbye, Little Miss Perfect. Hello, my dirty little Black Swan."

xXx

Bella's breathing steadied. She was still feeling giddy from the adrenaline and alcohol racing through her body. She couldn't get over what had just happened. Why did the biggest jerk in La Push, no, the whole of Washington state, have to be so damn hot and sexy? Bella stood in front of the mirror, eyeing her reflection. She looked flushed and excited, and she glanced at her low cut top. He'd called her a slut! She wasn't a slut, but... She looked over at the closed door and thought if he came through that door now and tried to have his way with her, she honestly didn't think she'd be able to stop him – or actually want to stop him. Oh, hell! She was a slut! How could she even think that? She'd never had sex before, and here she was, thinking of giving away her virginity to _him_. She put her head in her hands and groaned. What was it about him that made her think like this? Sure, he was good looking and had a great body, but he was a complete jerk; an arrogant, self-obsessed asshole, who obviously had no respect for women, including his girlfriend... Urgh, Lauren, what the hell did he see in her? Apart from the long legs, long blond hair and massive boobs, of course. Oh yeah, she could see very well what Jacob Black saw in his girlfriend.

Bella sighed as she quickly tied her hair up and undressed. She felt a little nervous standing there in just her underwear knowing that he was just across the hall, most likely laughing at her. Or he could be seething; after all, she did throw water over him, but he didn't seem too annoyed by it. "Oh, my God." She moaned as she quickly took off her bra and pulled on her pajama top. She looked at the bed and then at the door. She really wanted to go to the bathroom to brush her teeth, but she didn't want to risk bumping into him again tonight. With the way she was feeling and thinking at the moment, it'd be very unwise indeed.

She knew that if she saw him now and he tried to come on to her again, her common sense, along with her virginity, would be long gone by the morning – even though she didn't like the jerk, and he had a girlfriend, she knew she'd be powerless against him.

No, the next time she encountered Jacob Black, she'd need to have her wits about her. She couldn't give in to her body's urges, because at the moment her body was letting her down big time. It had to be the alcohol, right?

Bella got into to bed thinking she would just have to brush her teeth for a bit longer in the morning.

She lay there listening for any sound coming from his room. She tried to picture Paul. He had looked so good tonight. The last time she had seen him was a few years ago, and he had changed a lot. He looked like a man now, not a young boy. He was good looking and muscular; she giggled quietly as she wondered what was it with these Quileute guys. They were all so tall and handsome and had incredible bodies. Even Seth with his adorable dimples could make a girl drool. Yeah, the female population had no hope against the young men of La Push. Even the older guys like Billy and Harry Clearwater were still very good looking and full of charisma.

Bella sighed as she thought again of Paul, walking her home and kissing her hand. He said he'd call her; she wondered when he would. She wouldn't call him; she didn't want to appear too clingy or needy, but she was looking forward to seeing him again. Bella really did like him, even though she'd heard that he had a bit of a reputation as a lady's man. But from the options open to her this evening, Paul definitely appeared the safer one.

Thoughts were racing through her head as she lay there. She imagined what it would feel like to have had Paul pin her against the kitchen counter, feeling his breath in her hair. She thought about dancing with him. He was so warm and strong, and she loved the feel of his muscular arms wrapped around her waist. She'd felt excited too, knowing that dancing with her had turned him on; she had felt the evidence of his arousal a couple of times tonight as they danced together closely.

With her head full of images of Paul, she reached down and stroked the fabric of her panties. She closed her eyes and bit her lip as she slowly and gently stroked herself over the damp material. Bringing her other hand up to gently palm her breast, she imagined it was Paul's hands on her body. She gently tugged at her nipple, pinching it lightly as she slid her hand underneath the fabric of her underwear. Oh god, it felt so good as she continued to stroke herself. Sighing softly, she slipped in a finger. Oh... she was so wet and could feel herself getting even wetter as she moved her finger in and out, while gently rubbing her thumb against her clit. It felt amazing as small waves of pleasure started to slowly build.

She palmed her breast more roughly and pinched her nipple harder as the visions of Paul vanished and were replaced by the cocky, smug, and sexy-as-hell, grin of Jacob. "Oh my god, oh, fu..." Bella quickly covered her mouth with her hand as the thoughts of Jacob only seemed to intensify the sensations. She quickly removed her hand from her mouth and used her fingers to spread her folds as she opened her legs further. Using two fingers now to circle her sensitive nub, she writhed around on the bed, breathing heavily. She could feel the pleasure building as she moved her fingers faster and wriggled her hips to increase the friction. She quietly moaned and whimpered as she pictured Jacob reaching down and grabbing his cock. She imagined it was his fingers working their magic on her as he jerked himself off. His hands moved in time, bringing them both to their release.

He was watching her with a smirk on his face, whispering how she was his dirty little slut, his dirty little black Swan.

Suddenly, he moved, and his face was now _there,_ his fingers replaced by his tongue as he flicked it, fast and roughly over her clit. That was enough to tip Bella over the edge. "Oh, yes! Fuck, oh, my... Jac..." She moaned as she felt her thighs shaking, and she was rocked by a string of pulsating shocks, beginning at her core and spreading throughout her body, one after the other, until they slowly began to subside.

"Holy shit!" she whispered into the darkness as she felt her heart racing and tried to catch her breath. She wondered how loud she'd been. What if he had heard? She was certain she hadn't been too loud. Oh shit, she thought as she covered her face with her hands. "I'm so stupid... Argh." She groaned as she shook her head from side to side, not quite able to believe what she had just done – well, who she'd thought of while doing it.

She rolled over and closed her eyes, making a promise to herself not to ever think of him in that way again, but another cocky little voice popped into her head and whispered, "Whatever, babe, we'll see how long that lasts."

xXx

The next morning Bella hesitantly entered the kitchen, and after she had said good morning to Billy and Sarah, she helped herself to some coffee and toast. She had already showered and dressed in record time again.

As usual, she was on high alert and nervous about seeing him, especially after their talk the night before and her reaction to him.

Relief washed over her when she saw that he wasn't around.

If she was quick, she could make it out the door and leave for work before he'd even come into the room. She took big bites and gulped down her coffee as Sarah started apologizing and told her that she and Billy would be going out tonight. She explained that Billy had a big council meeting and she would be spending time with the other wives. They wouldn't be home until late, but she'd make sure there was plenty to eat when Bella got back from work at Newton's.

Bella nodded, said that it was no problem, and that Sarah really didn't need to worry about food since she could grab something to eat before coming home. The whole time she spoke, she was hiding the rising panic that had started to settle in. He'd be out, surely? On a Saturday night, he was bound to be out with his friends, right?

Oh, hell! Maybe she could call Leah and see if she'd come over just in case, or they could go out somewhere. But Leah would be seeing Embry; in fact, Embry would most likely be with Jacob, and then Leah would invite her out with them and she'd still have to put up with him. Oh, double hell!

She was lost in her thoughts and physically jumped when she saw him come in from the hallway, giving her a cocky grin. She couldn't help but glare at him. Thankfully, Billy and Sarah didn't appear to notice the exchange of looks.

They both turned to Sarah as she asked Jacob what his plans were for this evening. He replied that he was going out for a bit with Lauren and the guys and looked back at Bella. Giving her an apologetic look, he added that he would be home late too.

Bella had to hold her tongue. Again, she glared at him, trying to telepathically tell him he could keep his damned fake 'I'm so sorry' face. As if she would want him to be home with her, stupid ass, of course he wasn't sorry, idiot.

She immediately felt warmth spread across her face as she looked back at Sarah, who seemed to be suddenly very aware of the silent exchange between the two of them. Bella couldn't quite make out the expression on Sarah's face as she slowly glanced between Jacob and Bella, but she thought she saw the briefest tug at the corner of Sarah's mouth as she quickly turned to clear away the breakfast things.

Feeling like it was time, she made a very hasty getaway. Bella took her cup over to the sink, quickly washed and dried it, and saying goodbye to Billy and Sarah, headed out the door.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N Thanks to my wonderful Beta jkane180. I'm so sorry for the delay in updates again, there will be another update soon after this one.

This story is rated M for a reason, bad language and sexual situations later on.

As always I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love to hear your views. I really do appreciate all your reviews and feedback. Ali x

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

He stood in the kitchen, watching her. She washed her cup and put it away before she literally ran for the front door.

He still had a smug smile on his face when he realized his mom was watching him. He quickly changed his expression as he glanced in her direction. She raised a questioning eyebrow, and Jacob shrugged his shoulders in response.

As he sat down at the table, Billy looked up from his newspaper, and Jacob was grateful that at least one of his parents hadn't noticed what had just happened with Bella. But he was willing to bet that his dad would know all about it soon enough.

It didn't bother him too much, though, since nothing really happened, right? She had given him the 'stink eye' after he had given her an apologetic look. Okay, maybe he had exaggerated it a little and added a touch of sarcasm.

He chuckled to himself as he thought of the look she gave him with her face all screwed up. She'd tried to look all tough and threatening, but fuck, she'd just ended up looking really fucking cute. Ergh... What the... when did he ever think a girl was fucking cute? Hot, sexy, fuckable, but never cute. What the hell? He was turning into a fucking pussy.

He sighed as he piled some bacon and eggs onto his plate. Billy had been observing him over his newspaper and was now looking at Sarah, who smiled with a raised eyebrow and shrugged her shoulders, Jacob style.

Billy knew he and his wife would have a little chat later and went back to his newspaper.

xXx

Bella made her way to work. She drove along with her head full of Jacob. Thank goodness he wouldn't be in tonight. Maybe Paul would call her and ask if she wanted to go out.

Damn, this was the first time she'd even thought of Paul this morning. She was in such a rush to get out of the house as quickly as possible. She hadn't even checked her phone for text messages.

What on earth was happening to her? She always checked for messages. She hadn't heard it beep at all, but it could have while she was in the shower. She glanced over to her bag, which was lying across the passenger seat.

She was tempted to quickly retrieve her phone and check it, but she could hear her dad's voice in her head, warning her not to get distracted while driving.

Charlie was always telling her not to text or make calls while she was in control of a vehicle; her concentration should always be 100% on the road.

Being a cop, he had seen plenty of accidents where the driver had lost focus, and cell phones were sometimes to blame.

She let out a dramatic sigh and decided she'd wait until she got to work and check her phone then.

xXx

Jacob walked through the workshop and made his way over to the office. He could see that Paul had already arrived and was looking over an old Mustang that had been brought in. Jacob shouted out a greeting and entered the office to see what his schedule was for the day.

He couldn't help feeling pretty smug with himself, and he wasn't really sure why. He knew Bella liked Paul, she'd always liked Paul, but after last night, he knew she felt something for him too.

He grinned as he flipped through the job sheets, thinking of how she said he 'disgusted' her. Yeah, she definitely felt something for him, 'hate' maybe. But fuck, hate was a strong and passionate feeling, right? So fuck yeah, he could work with that... and she was living under his roof; he had home ground advantage – double fuck yeah - take that, Paul!

As he walked over to the car he'd been assigned to work on, Paul called over to him and asked how Bella was this morning. Jacob replied that, like every other morning she was her usual uptight, sickly pale, silent self.

Paul laughed loudly and went on to describe how she was far from uptight and silent with him. He suggested that maybe it was just Jacob that made her that way, and as for sickly pale, she was hot and flushed last night.

Jacob started looking over the car, paying particular attention to the engine.

He didn't need reminding of how relaxed Bella looked in Paul's arms last night, but he grinned to himself when he thought of her reaction to him back at the house. She was certainly hot and flushed then, and that had nothing to do with Paul.

He shouted back that he hadn't really noticed any difference and couldn't really care less how he made her feel.

Paul carried on laughing and shook his head. He just couldn't understand how Jacob could be immune to Bella's charms. Yeah, she was a bit of a goody two shoes and never really spoke much when she was younger, but now, fuck, she was beautiful in a simple way, and she had that tight little body. Hell yeah, Paul was really hoping to get a piece of Bella action and pretty soon too.

How the fuck could Jacob _not_ want a piece of that? Okay, so he was with Lauren, but she was so fucking artificial, superficial - whatever the fuck it was - and Paul could never really understand why Jacob was with her.

Paul knew Lauren pretty well. He'd always felt a little guilty when he remembered how he'd gotten up close and personal with Lauren once.

She and Jacob hadn't been together that long, and they'd had an argument one evening. Afterwards, she'd asked Paul to meet up with her saying, she wanted to talk to him about Jacob, but when they met, she came onto him, and Paul, being Paul, couldn't resist. Luckily, they'd just made out a bit, and Paul had put a stop to it going any further. But that didn't stop him feeling pretty awful about playing around with Jacob's girl.

Lauren was pissed with Paul for not taking their little tryst any further. But when Paul asked her how she could cheat on Jacob, she replied that she'd just got carried away and cared deeply for Jacob. Paul suspected the only person Lauren was really capable of caring about was herself.

He had subtly tried to tell Jacob on many occasions what he thought of Lauren, along with the other guys, who all disliked her with a passion, but Jacob would just clam up and tell them they didn't know her like he did.

He was certain Jacob was with Lauren to rebel against the council. After all one day Jacob would take over from his dad, as chief, and everyone knew Jacob wasn't too happy about that.

But he wasn't a bad kid – moody, yeah, a bit of a rebel, but he was a good buddy, and if Paul was completely honest, between the two of them, he could definitely see Jacob with Bella, as a couple, and they'd literally grown up together. Yeah, they didn't particularly get along, that was no secret, but if the truth was known, most of the people on the Res kind of expected them to get together at some point. Of course, no one ever told Jacob that and he'd made it obvious he wasn't interested in her, so who was Paul to turn his nose up at that hot little brunette, especially when she had appeared to be showing a great deal of interest in him?

Jacob was curious. He didn't really want to ask, since he didn't want to bring too much attention to himself or seem too interested, but he had to know if Paul was planning on seeing Bella again. Of course, knowing Paul, he would most likely be planning on when he'd be getting into her panties, but Jacob didn't want to think about that. Oh fuck, who was he kidding? He was more than happy to think about her panties and what was in them, as long as it wasn't Paul!

Trying to be as casual as he could, Jacob asked Paul if he'd be taking Bella out sometime soon. Paul answered in typical Paul fashion that, given half the chance, he planned on doing a whole lot more with her than just taking her out, but he didn't want to scare her off. So he was planning on taking it slow to begin with. He also added that he said he'd call her, but he'd leave her dangling for a couple of days.

Jacob wasn't too pleased to hear that his suspicions of what Paul had planned were correct, but at least he'd have a couple of days to get his head around what he was going to do about it.

xXx

Bella's day at Newton's couldn't have gone any slower. The shop hadn't been particularly busy, and after she had done some tidying up and shelf stacking, she grabbed her copy of 'Romeo and Juliet' and started making notes as part of her homework. She'd have plenty of time to work on it properly tonight, but at least she could make a start.

She'd checked her phone for any messages or missed calls from Paul as soon as she'd arrived, again on her break, and at lunch time, but there weren't any. She felt a bit disappointed that he hadn't tried to contact her, but it had only been one day.

She felt a bit better when she thought there was most likely a good reason why he hadn't called yet. Maybe he wouldn't call her right away; he might not want to seem too eager. Plus, he'd be working today at the garage and may not have had the chance to call her yet.

As the day progressed, Bella realized any hopes of going out with Paul tonight were looking less and less likely.

xXx

Jacob was making good progress on the engine he'd been working on. Amazingly, he kept his mind on the job and away from Bella.

He didn't discuss her anymore with Paul, but she did cross his mind briefly when Jacob couldn't help feeling a little annoyed when a young woman walked into the office and Paul instantly made a beeline for her and flirted like crazy.

But hey, that was Paul, and he wasn't going to change. Jacob just hoped that if Bella really did like him, she wouldn't end up getting hurt.

He shook his head. Who was he kidding? The only person who seemed to hurt Bella was him. There was that guilt again. He couldn't change things that had happened between them now, so why dwell on it? He wiped his forearm across his face, pushing all thoughts of Bella out of his head, and focused back on the oily machine in front of him.

xXx

Finally, it was 6:00pm, time for Bella to head home. Well back to the Blacks' place. The day had really dragged, but now that it was time to leave, she suddenly felt a little apprehensive and wasn't sure what to do.

She didn't know what time Jacob would finish at the garage, and he would surely go home and shower before going out with Lauren and his friends.

If she could avoid going back for a bit longer, hopefully, she could avoid him all together.

Before she really realized what she was doing, Bella offered to stay an extra half hour or so to help with a stock delivery that had come in a little earlier.

She seriously couldn't believe she'd agreed to stay behind at work just to avoid him, but she'd panicked and offered without thinking.

She was worried, not necessarily about seeing him, but about the feeling and sensations the thought of seeing him was creating. She was scared to admit it, but thinking about him was making her heart pound and her stomach do somersaults, and she knew it wasn't fear.

She remembered what she had done last night, and she felt a sudden fluttering sensation _there. _She really needed to just stop thinking about him, period.

She tried to push all thoughts of Jacob to the back of her mind and concentrated on pricing up the new stock. Before she knew it, she had finished pricing it all and had put it away, which meant it really was time for her to leave.

As she walked across the parking lot, she checked her phone again, just to be sure Paul hadn't tried to get a hold of her. But there were still no message or missed calls.

She sighed as she checked the time. It was 6:45pm. What could she do to take up a bit more time? She thought about calling Leah and heading over to the Clearwaters' place, but quickly changed her mind. Sue was sure to tell Sarah that Bella had gone over there, and the last thing Bella wanted was for Sarah to feel guilty about leaving her at home on her own on a Saturday night.

She suddenly decided she'd head to the diner for a bite to eat, and if she took her time, hopefully Jacob would be already gone by the time she got in.

xXx

Jacob closed the hood and wiped his hands on an old rag. He'd been pretty pleased with what he had achieved today. He enjoyed working with his hands and the problem solving side of his job.

There was nothing better than having a vehicle brought in where the owner had no idea what was wrong. He would start off by listening to the engine, hear how it was ticking over, and listen to the revs, paying particular attention to any smells from the exhaust or engine.

If the car wouldn't start, then even better. He'd go through a list, checking off all the things it could be.

Jacob enjoyed working on a car from start to finish. It really pissed him off if he didn't have a particular part and when the part did come in, he hadn't been around to finish the job. It usually happened because he was at school.

Today was a good one though. He'd been able to get three cars up and running and he was satisfied he'd done a really good job on them.

Jacob sat in the office, finishing off the paperwork on the final vehicle he'd worked on, when Paul walked in to do the same.

Jacob knew that Paul wasn't going out with the rest of them this evening, so he wanted to make certain that Paul was definitely not planning on contacting Bella yet. So he casually asked what Paul was doing this evening.

Paul replied that he was headed up to Port Angeles with Jared to a new night club that had opened up. Being a bit older than Jacob and the other guys Paul and Jared often went out clubbing on the weekends.

Jacob was satisfied that Paul definitely wasn't taking Bella tonight, and he had a hard time keeping the grin off his face.

He quickly finished up his paperwork, said goodbye to Paul and headed home.

As he walked through the front door, he just knew she wasn't home. He couldn't say why, but it was almost a special Bella sense he had. He seemed to be able to just tell straight away if she was home or not.

His mom came through on her way out. His dad had already left, and Sarah was going over to Sue's first to then meet up with the other ladies a bit later on.

She told Jacob she had left some lasagna, enough for him and Bella, which would just need to be warmed up, and there was some salad in the fridge.

She knew Bella had said she would grab something to eat before coming home, but Sarah wanted to make sure there was something for Bella in case she changed her mind. She told Jacob that there was plenty of food and to make sure not to eat it all and to leave some for Bella, as she headed out of the door.

After eating, Jacob had a quick shower and made a point of flipping through the TV channels in the living room for about ten minutes, while just wearing a towel. Was he hoping she would come home and see him there? Fuck yes! But she didn't turn up, so he went to his room and got ready.

xXx

As she walked through the door, she could tell he wasn't home. She was relieved; really she was. Wasn't she? Yeah, okay, there was a bit of disappointment there too. As she made her way through the house to her room, she could smell his cologne. She must have only just missed him by a few minutes.

She paused at his door and listened. He definitely wasn't home, she knew that, but she still held her breath, waiting to hear any sound that could come from the other side of the door.

For a completely insane second, she was tempted to take a peek inside his room. She must be going crazy, she thought. Knowing Jacob, well, actually, she didn't know him at all, but from what she did know of him, he would most likely have booby trapped his room to catch her out, right? She shook her head, walked away from his door, and laughed – "God, I'm so stupid!"

She had a long, hot shower. For once, she could relax, knowing he wasn't home and he wouldn't be until the early hours of tomorrow morning. She got in her little pajamas, and grabbing a book, wandered through to the living room.

She went to the kitchen and helped herself to a soda, where she found a note from Sarah telling her there was some lasagna and salad if she wanted something to eat. Bella smiled. Sarah really was so lovely, but she had already eaten, so she left the food in the fridge, went into the living room and switched on the TV.

It felt kind of weird being in the Blacks' house on her own, but quite nice that she didn't have to worry about disturbing anyone or feeling uncomfortable. Not that Billy or Sarah ever made her feel that way, but sometimes she just did. She guessed it was still early days, and she would settle more as time went on.

She made herself comfortable in the lovely armchair that Billy often occupied and starting flipping through the channels. She decided on watching a documentary on Greek Mythology. She giggled out loud when her mind went straight to the arrogant Adonis whom she happened to be living with at the moment, but she carried on watching the program, and it turned out to be quite interesting.

When it finished, she turned the TV off, put the remote on the arm of the chair, and started reading her book.

It must have been about half an hour later that she heard the front door open. Suddenly, Bella's heart was fighting to leap out of her chest.

She looked up, and there was Jacob, wearing his black leather jacket, grey t-shirt and the tightest black skinny jeans she had ever seen on a man.

He closed the door behind him, paused, looked at her for a second, and then walked through the house to his room without saying a word to her.

Holy shit! Now what was she going to do?


	9. Chapter 9

A/N Thanks to my wonderful Beta jkane180 . Thought I'd make it up to you by posting two updates close together. As always I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love to hear your views. I really do appreciate all your reviews and feedback. Ali x

This story is rated M for a reason, bad language and sexual situations later on.

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

Jacob had gone to Quil's place, and he was planning on picking up Lauren a couple of hours later. They'd either go off and do something together, or they'd do something as a group with Quil, Embry and probably Leah - Seth, Brady and Colin would most likely tag along too.

Quil had been rambling on about some hot girl he'd talked to today down at the beach, and a new PS3 game he'd got, but Jacob couldn't concentrate. All he could think about was her, at home, on her own.

Quil had noticed Jacob seemed distant and didn't appear to be himself this evening. He'd asked him a couple of times what was wrong with him.

Jacob had been toying with an idea in his head since he'd found out earlier today that Paul wouldn't be seeing Bella tonight, and Quil had just given him an opportunity he wasn't going to miss.

It was a sudden decision to go through with his half-baked plan. He told Quil he wasn't feeling too great and that he was going to head back home. He sent Lauren a text, apologizing that he'd have to call off going out tonight since he didn't feel too good and thought he could be coming down with something. He told her he'd ring her tomorrow, and if he felt better, he'd make it up to her. It was good to try to keep Lauren sweet. She could be a bitch if she didn't get her way

As he pulled up outside the house, he shut off the engine and sat in his car, shaking his head.

He had no idea what he was going to say to her, but if he could just spend some time with her, just get to know her... If she could see that he was an okay kind of guy, not the total jerk she thought he was... Then what? He had a girlfriend for fuck's sake! Shit, he couldn't think of Lauren right now, all he could think about was Bella.

He got out of the car, walked up the path and through the front door. There she was. Holy fuck.

He closed the door behind him and stood there for maybe a second or two. Oh yeah, it seemed like such a good idea at the time, but now...

He didn't know what he was expecting, but he wasn't expecting to see her curled up in his dad's chair, wearing skimpy little pajama shorts and a little vest top thing.

Oh fuck! He walked through the living room and headed to his bedroom, quickly closing his door behind him.

There was a time not so long ago when just the sight of her would cause his hackles to rise. Shit, now the sight of her caused something else to fucking rise.

It seemed like such a good plan, and now... seeing her like that – what the fuck was he thinking?

xXx

What the hell was he doing home? Bella looked down at what she was wearing and groaned quietly. She really hadn't expected to see him; otherwise, she would have covered herself up a bit more. She thought about heading to her room and shutting herself away in there or putting something else on, but she didn't want him to know how uncomfortable she felt. He was bound to make fun of her if he knew.

She decided she would stay where she was. She pulled the hem of her shorts down as much as she could to cover her thighs – um, yeah, that really didn't do anything. She looked down again at her top. It wasn't low cut like the t-shirt she wore last night, but she had no bra on. "Oh God," she mumbled quietly as she folded her arms across her chest.

She decided she would wait for a bit, and then at the right moment, she'd escape to her room. She'd make it look like she wasn't avoiding him or embarrassed by him being there, then hopefully he wouldn't pay her too much attention.

Maybe she was overreacting. He may have just forgotten something and would go back out when he'd found it. Yes, that was it, surely? He was supposed to be out with his girlfriend and the guys. So yeah, he was most likely looking for something in his room and would go straight back out again once he'd gotten it.

xXx

Jacob stood in his room, pondering his next move. He took off his jacket and threw it on the bed. Grabbing a pair of sweatpants, he undid his jeans. he wanted to be comfortable, and there was nothing worse than getting a raging hard on in his skinny jeans. And if he was going to be in her company for more than five minutes, a major boner was fucking inevitable!

He quickly took off his shoes, socks, and jeans and pulled on his sweatpants. He looked at himself in the mirror, running a hand through his hair.

He grinned to himself as he flexed his biceps and pulled his t-shirt over his head before grabbing a white wife beater vest. If Bella could show some skin, so could he, he thought as he pulled the vest on. He reached for his cologne. Would she notice if he put a little bit on? He quickly dabbed on the tiniest amount and waved his arms around to disperse the smell. Maybe he was going over the top a bit, but what the hell? This was his chance to make a good impression, right?

That was if she was still in the living room, of course. Jacob suddenly worried that while he'd been preening himself in his room, she might have gone to hide in her own room, and his efforts would be wasted.

He quickly opened the door and walked out to the living room, where he was desperately hoping she still was.

xXx

She heard his bedroom door opening and held her breath as she heard him quietly walk into the living room. She kept her head down and her eyes on her book, waiting to hear the front door open and close, but to her horror, he didn't head to the door. He sat down on the couch opposite Billy's chair.

Bella tried furiously to concentrate on her book, refusing to look in his direction as she let out a quiet, shaky breath.

In her peripheral, she could see that his feet were bare and he had what looked like grey sweatpants on. She was fighting an internal battle not to look up at him because she so desperately wanted to.

She started to read a page of her book over again for the third time since he'd come back. It was hopeless. She couldn't take in what was on the page, but there was no way she was going to put her book down. It gave her something to focus on, and _he_ didn't know she wasn't actually reading it properly, did he?

She suddenly saw him move, and before she could register what he was doing, he was leaning across her for the TV remote.

As he came close, she kept her head down, but she could see his arms and chest. Oh God, he'd changed and was wearing a tight white vest that clung to his muscled torso, and oh my... he smelled so damn good too.

She discreetly leaned back in the chair, keeping her focus on her book. He was so near that he would only need to move a fraction and he'd be touching her.

He seemed to move so slowly as he fumbled with the remote and aimed it at the TV while still leaning across her.

Then, as quickly as he had moved, he was sitting back down on the couch and had starting flipping through the TV channels.

xXx

Jacob sat on the couch. He was going to show her he could be civil and that he wasn't a complete dick. He was really going to make an effort to keep his mouth in check and be nice to her.

He sat there, wondering what to say and waiting for her to glance in his direction, but she didn't look up from her book. She was ignoring him, again, just like she used to do, all those years ago. He stretched out his long legs and put his arms behind his head, watching her.

Yep, she was definitely ignoring him. Well, fuck this, he thought as he spotted the TV remote on the far arm of the armchair. He got to his feet, moved over to where she was, and with slow deliberate movements, he purposely leaned across her.

She still didn't look at him; in fact, she made no movement whatsoever. But Jacob took his time. He was certainly getting a good look at her.

He could see the expanse of thigh she had on display, and although her arms were placed strategically in front of her, he was pretty certain she wasn't wearing a bra since he couldn't see any other straps other than the little spaghetti ones of her tanktop.

He was so close. He'd only have to move his hand a few inches, and he could run it up her thigh.

He licked his lips at the thought and caught her scent; honeysuckle and fucking jasmine. He turned his head slightly to look at her face, but her nose was still buried in that fucking book.

It wouldn't take much to lean down and brush his lips against hers. Whoa! Steady on, Jake... You're getting a bit ahead of yourself, buddy!

Jacob stayed leaning across her as he flipped on the TV, and then he moved to sit back down on the couch and started surfing through the channels.

He wanted to get her attention. One of them would have to speak first, and he was sure it wasn't going to be her, but he didn't know what to say.

Keep it together, Jake... for fuck's sake. He could do this; she was just a girl. He gave himself a little mental pep talk.

Jacob settled on MTV and sat watching the music channel.

They both sat quietly, not looking at or talking to each other, but Jacob did steal a few quick glances in her direction since he had great difficulty keeping his eyes off her legs.

She was sitting with her feet curled up under her in the big chair, but Jacob could easily see that for a girl who was so short and tiny, she certainly had a fine pair of legs on her.

He couldn't help imagining what it would feel like to have those lovely bare legs wrapped around his waist or straddling him as he sat on the couch.

Fuck! He had to get a grip on his thoughts. He was getting hard, and it wasn't like he'd be pitching a tent in his sweatpants; it would be a fucking marquee!

Jacob quickly stood up and headed to the kitchen. He decided this was it; he would speak first. She'd either engage with him, or she'd ignore him completely, which at the moment would fucking kill him.

He adjusted himself in his sweats as he reached the fridge and called over to Bella, "Um... Do you want a soda?"

He was looking at her now over the kitchen counter. She turned and looked back over the top of the chair at him.

Yes! Progress. At least she's fucking looking at me, he thought.

"Er... yes, please, thank you." She spoke so quietly he wasn't even sure if he had heard her at first, but she was looking at him, and she smiled. She fucking smiled!

"You okay with a can, or would you like a glass?"

Bella raised an eyebrow. Holy fuck! What a look. Jacob felt his cock twitch, and then he remembered leaning against her as he reached up to get her a glass last night. Yep, he was going to have to spend the whole evening hiding his beast because it was roaring and fighting to get out of its cage.

xXx

She couldn't believe that he had asked her if she wanted a soda. For a split second, she thought it was a joke, that he'd pull a prank any second, but she was brought up to be polite and speak when spoken to, so she'd looked at him and replied with a smile.

Looking at him now across the kitchen counter, her heart literally skipped a beat. He was wearing some little white vest thing, and all his tanned, muscled glory was on display. The top did nothing to hide the outline of his defined, toned body and his shoulders and upper arms. Holy sh... They were so big and... Bella had trouble tearing her gaze away from him.

When he'd asked if she wanted a glass, her thoughts went straight back to last night and their close proximity. She squeezed her thighs together to try to stop the tingling sensation the sight and thoughts of him were creating.

Was he serious? She raised a questioning eyebrow. Surely he was kidding, right? He'd remembered the whole glass incident last night and was making fun. But she had opened her mouth and replied before thinking fully.

"Do you really want to go there again, Jacob?" she shocked herself by asking. Where the hell did that come from?

Jacob let out a deep, throaty laugh.

"Babe, if you want to come and try to get one yourself, I'd be more than happy to help you out again!"

She had told him not to call her babe, but hearing him say it again tonight was... different. But if Jacob wanted to play games and try to make her feel uncomfortable, well, she could have a go at playing him at his own game. She'd give it a shot at least.

However, before the battle commenced, she thought it would be wise to be dressed in more appropriate attire. After all, she was easy prey and pretty vulnerable dressed in next to nothing.

"A can would be fine, Jacob," she called over as she placed her book down. "I'll be back in a sec."

She quickly stood and headed to her bedroom.

Standing with her back against her closed door, she tried to do some breathing exercises to slow down her racing heart.

Was she really prepared to do this? Take him on at his own game? Surely it was better than cowering in fear and keeping out if his way for the duration of her stay.

She wasn't that scared little girl anymore. She had shown courage last night and had stood up to him. Okay, so she didn't know if he had anything planned to get her back, but she had shown him she could take whatever he'd throw at her.

She could meet him head on. Maybe she could use her womanly charms to drive him crazy, knock him off course, and torment him. She could try to get back at him that way.

She laughed quietly at the thought as she stripped off her shorts and quickly pulled on some three-quarter length sweats with the word 'JUICY' blazoned across the ass in pink velvet lettering. It really wasn't intentional – she tried to convince herself. They were the nearest thing in her drawer, and she never wore them out. They were too tacky. She just wore them when she was lazing around the house - Charlie's house. She giggled has she wiggled her butt and caught a glimpse of her rear in the mirror.

Next, she replaced her tank top with a fitted t-shirt, making sure to put on her bra. She wasn't sure how Jacob would react to her erect nipples. Holy shit! That thought started her heart racing all over again. She knew very well how a guy like Jacob would react to them, and the idea alone managed to perk them up immediately!

Suddenly, her phone beeped, indicating she had a text message. Bella quickly picked it up to check it, wondering if it was Paul. She felt a little excited at the prospect that it could be him, but honestly, she was equally as excited at the thought of going back to the living room and spending some time with Jacob.

She could see from the display that it was Leah. She was letting Bella know that Jacob had headed home because he was sick, and she asked if Bella was okay. Bella smiled as she replied, telling Leah not to worry. She was a big girl now and could look after herself. Yes, Jacob was home, and she was fine.

Mmm, so he was sick? He didn't look very sick.

She put her phone back on the bedside table then quickly appraised herself in the mirror, telling herself quietly, "Keep your wits about you, Bella. Don't get too close. Just talk to him and give as good as you get, right?" Giving her reflection a stern affirmative nod, she headed back out her bedroom door.

xXx

He stood with his back against the fridge as he watched her walk out to the hallway and to her room.

His eyes travelled the length of her body, starting at her gorgeous chestnut curls tied back loosely, hanging down her slender back, past her tiny waist. Then he was looking at her ass - he was no stranger to checking that out. In the past week, whenever she was around, he did little else – without her knowing, of course.

It was small, round, and firm, perfectly proportioned with the rest of her body, and Jacob would have loved nothing more than to cup those pert little ass cheeks in his hands, preferably while hoisting her up on his waist and leaning her against a wall.

After pausing at her peachy butt, his eyes continued their descent, and he couldn't help taking in the sight of her slender but shapely thighs. He thanked god for those tiny fucking shorts she was wearing right now because he was certainly getting an eye full.

As she disappeared into her room, Jacob turned and grabbed a couple of cans of soda from the fridge. Placing one on the small table next to Billy's chair, he sat back down on the couch.

He flipped through the channels on the TV again and settled back on a music one. He leaned back against the couch, nodding his head along to the beat and waiting for her to come back. Oh yes... he was literally waiting for her to come back into the room.

He didn't have to wait long. He was openly watching her now as she walked back into the living room and sat in Billy's chair.

She had changed what she was wearing, and Jacob was a little disappointed to see that she had covered up her lovely legs. But he let out a silent whistle as she passed him and he caught sight of the lettering on her butt.

He would definitely like to take a bite out of that juicy little peach!

He watched her reach out for the soda can while his mind was still lingering on her ass. Then she looked over at him, holding the can in hand.

She raised a questioning eyebrow at Jacob.

"What?"

"You shook it, didn't you?"

Jacob laughed again and shook his head. "No!"

"Oh, right, and I'm supposed to believe you?"

Jacob was smiling. This really was progress. Okay, she was accusing him of something, but it was light hearted, and unless he was mistaken, she'd seemed to have a little mischievous sparkle in her eye.

Jacob got up and went over to her. With a cocky smile, he took the can from her and opened it.

xXx

Bella watched as he took the can from her gently and opened it.

She was relieved that it didn't spray out in all directions, which is what she had expected it to do.

"See, told you I didn't shake it." Jacob raised his eyebrows and smirked as he passed the can back to her.

"Don't you think you owe me something for that accusation?" he taunted.

Bella shocked herself when she found she was now laughing at him.

"I haven't tried it yet, have I?" She knew she was being silly now. There was no way Jacob could have sabotaged the soda while the can was closed, but she was enjoying this little game with him.

"Oh, come on! What do you think I've done to it? But hey, I'm flattered, babe, that you think I'm that smart." And with that, Jacob took the can from her again and put the metal to his lips.

Bella was transfixed as she watched him take a gulp of liquid from her can. She noticed how his eyelashes fanned out against his dark skin as he momentarily closed his eyes. She couldn't avert her gaze, even when he opened his eyes, and they immediately locked onto hers.

She quickly took the can back from him when he held it out to her and realized that she was still staring at him.

"Okay, I was wrong. Sorry!" she mumbled as she quickly looked down at the can in her hand.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, babe, but I want to know when you're going to make it up to me." He was still standing, but his arms were folded across his chest and he was still had that cocky smirk on his face.

Bella raised the can to her lips and took a sip of the soda, all too aware that only seconds ago his lips had been on the same spot.

He was watching her closely; she could tell even though she was now avoiding his gaze. She could feel herself blushing under his scrutiny, and her pulse had quickened - not that it had really returned to normal since he'd come home.

"You know, you can trust me. Take a chance, Bella. Try being a bit adventurous for once." He was mocking her now.

"You don't know me, so you have no idea what type of things I do. I can be adventurous!" she shot back at him

"Oh, yeah! I'm all ears, babe. Tell me about these adventurous things you do."

She was wracking her brain trying to think of something to tell him, but truthfully, she'd never really done much. She'd tried getting into a club once with a couple of friends, but they didn't get past the doorman. She'd been drunk a couple of times, but he'd already kind of witnessed that, and somehow she didn't think he'd be that impressed.

"Well, actually it's none of your business!" She was feeling flustered and cornered now. This was not going how she thought it would, and her confidence was starting to slide.

Suddenly Jacob reached over and snatched up her book.

"Ooooh touchy... What's this you're reading? Porn by any chance?" He took the book with him as he bounced back down on the couch.

"Oh, don't be so childish and ridiculous!" she spat at him as she got up from the chair and went over to retrieve her book.

"Porn is hardly for children, babe, and it can often be adventurous too! You should try it," he teased, winking at her.

"It's not porn, Jacob!" She raised her voice a little as she could feel herself getting pissed off now

"Well, duh... I know that now, brains, fucking Romeo and Juliet, a tragic love story. Why are you reading this shit?"

"It's not shit, and it's for school. Now can you just give it to me, Jacob, please?" She was growing weary of this now.

She wasn't happy with the way he had turned things on their head and how he always seemed to get the upper hand. If she was going to win this battle, she would really need to up her game.

"Now, Bella, I know you're really a dirty little Black Swan, so what is it you really want me to give you? The book... or something else?" he asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

"The book, Jacob! Just give me my book. I'll never want anything else from you... ever!"

Jacob relented and held the book out to her, and she quickly snatched it back.

"I was only teasing you, babe. Just joking."

Bella was surprised to see something in his deep brown eyes that almost appeared apologetic, and the anger she felt a few moments ago had dissolved into something that resembled a warm gooey mess mixed with a dose of confusion.

What the hell was it with this jerk that made her feel like this?

"Well, news flash! You're really _not_ funny, Jacob, and stop calling me babe!"

She tried to sound harsh, but she knew it had just sounded weak and lame.

"So are you going to eat that lasagna?" He surprised her again and she was slow to respond.

"Um... no, I've already eaten."

"Well, okay, do you mind if I have it then?"

"Go ahead."

Bella watched him make his way over to the kitchen.

She shook her head, frowning and confused. What the hell just happened?


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks as always to the wonderful jkane180 for beta'ing for me. Here's another update for you, a little Christmas gift! lol. Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. I really appreciate all the feedback, it really makes me happy and can I take this opportunity to wish you all a great Christmas and best wishes for the coming New Year! Ali x

All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

xXx

Jacob put the left-over lasagna in the microwave and fiddled with the timer. He had to think of a way to pull this back. Why'd he have to talk about porn? Stupid dick. He was supposed to keep his mouth in check, but hell, he just couldn't behave himself when she was around.

He glanced over to the living room. Phew, she was still sitting there. He hadn't scared her off – thank fuck for that – but he needed to get back to talking to her. It had been going so well up until he'd taken her book.

He stood watching the lasagna through the little glass window, as it went around and around. She'd been teasing him, hadn't she? When she'd accused him of doing something to her soda.

Shit, she'd looked hot, too, when she took a sip from her can without even wiping his germs away - not that he had any, of course. He'd joked that she owed him for that accusation. Yeah, he'd get back to that part of the conversation. Try to get it on that cheeky, mischievous level again... He heard the ping of the microwave indicating his food was ready. He opened the small door and retrieved the leftover meal, and after grabbing himself a fork, he sauntered back to the couch, thinking, "For fuck's sake Jake, don't mess up again."

xXx

Bella attempted, yet again, to read the same page she'd been reading when Jacob had walked through the front door. Really, she knew she should have just given up, but if she had the book to look at, she didn't have to look at him, or his chest, or his arms, or his abs, or his ass – well, truthfully, she couldn't help taking a peek at his ass as he came back from the kitchen with her unwanted dinner, and it really didn't help her pulse to see that it looked just as good as the rest of him.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him sit back down on the couch, and she could smell the lasagna he was about to dive into. Considering Leah had texted her saying Jacob was sick, he certainly didn't seem sick. She discreetly peered over at him, unable to stop herself, and could see him shoveling in mouthfuls of food while watching the TV. Damn, he even looked sexy while stuffing his face with food.

She quickly looked back down at her book; she really needed to get a grip. Jacob Black was off limits. First, he had a girlfriend – admittedly, she dressed like a whore, but she was hot, and there was no way Bella could compete with someone who looked like that. Second, Jacob was a jerk, so she wouldn't be interested in him even if he was single, right? And third, there was Paul – handsome, sexy Paul. Her childhood crush, whom, although he had a reputation, she was still looking forward to getting to know much better.

These were all very valid reasons for her to try not to think of Jacob in _that_ way at all.

Bella quickly glanced back over at him, and thankfully, he didn't seem to notice her since he was still watching a music video while digging into his food. Which was a good thing since, before she realized what she was doing, her eyes skimmed down to Jacob's waist.

Biting her bottom lip, her eyes slowly moved lower. She blushed furiously as she remembered Jacob coming out of his bedroom in just his black boxer briefs, and although she only got a very small look, she couldn't help but notice that he appeared to be very well endowed!

Bella quickly looked away, suddenly frightened that Jacob might catch her staring at his crotch. She really did need to just stop thinking about him, or if she did think of him, to remember how awful he was to her and how that would make him appear very unattractive indeed.

Jacob shifted and got to his feet to take his plate to the kitchen, and Bella quickly checked out his ass again as he went past her. One last look for good measure!

"Hey, remember to let my mom know that you really didn't want the lasagna, and you said I could eat it, right? She'd go crazy thinking I didn't leave you any."

His words quickly pulled her back from her thoughts.

"Err… yeah, of course I'll let her know, "she replied and then continued, "Anyhow, I thought you said you'd be home late tonight. Weren't you supposed to be going out with your friends and your girlfriend?" she heard herself asking.

"Mmm, yeah, I was… but I didn't feel too good so thought I'd come home."

"Oh..." Bella looked over at him and raised an eyebrow as he rinsed the plate off under the tap.

"Well, I'm feeling a whole lot better now, thank fuck. I wouldn't wanna come down with some bug or shit like that."

"…and you put it so nicely," Bella mumbled but didn't think Jacob had heard her as he carried on drying the plate he'd used and then put it away.

He sighed as he came back into the living room and sprawled out on the couch. His long body took up the whole length, and his feet dangled over the arm. Obviously, Bella didn't pay too much attention to his body, since she needed to keep her head clear, and his body only made her head very fuzzy.

She turned over a page in her book with no idea what had happened on the previous page, but conscious that he might pick up on the fact that she had been on the same page the whole time he'd been here.

"So, Bella, when are you gonna make it up to me?" He had his arms behind his head and was watching the TV but had a crafty smirk on his face.

"What? Make what up to you?" She put her book down on her lap and looked over at him.

He caught her eye and winked – oh hell, her pulse just went through the roof – Then, pulling himself back up to a sitting position, he leaned back against the arm of the couch on his elbows.

"Oh, come on, little miss innocent! For thinking I'd done something to your drink when I hadn't, remember? You owe me."

Bella couldn't believe his nerve. "Oh my god, you're joking, right?" Bella shot back at him, sitting up straight in the chair now to face him full on.

"If anyone owes anyone something, it's you that owes me for all the horrible things you did to me when we were kids and the way you've treated me since I've been here!" she said, sounding a lot braver than she actually felt.

Jacob stood up and walked over to the TV cupboard, knelt down, and started looking through some DVDs.

Bella did her best to avoid looking at the waistband of his underwear when it poked out of the top of his sweats as he leaned over.

"You okay if I put on Iron Man?" he asked, looking back at her over his shoulder.

"I'm reading, so I don't mind what you watch."

"Iron Man it is then," he said as he put the disc into the player.

Returning to the couch, he looked over at her. "Okay, you're right! I do owe you, big time, so how about you agree to do something small for me, and I'll do something a bit bigger for you?"

Bella was looking at him now and couldn't help feeling a little flustered wondering what it was he had in mind.

Almost as if he had read her thoughts, though it was more likely that he had seen the shock and embarrassment on her face, he laughed. "Oh, babe, don't worry. It's nothing to do with sex! Unless, of course, you want it to be about sex."

Bella just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Jacob gave a low chuckle. "Just agree to come out for a ride with me tomorrow, and I'll show you some of the sights of La Push."

"And why exactly would I agree to go anywhere with you?" she asked. She could feel little bubbles of excitement bouncing around inside her somewhere but chose to ignore them.

It was Jacob's turn to roll his eyes and sigh. "Because you owe me, Bella. We've been over this before." They were looking at each other now, and Bella couldn't help but notice how soft his expression was. She wasn't used this softer, friendlier Jacob.

"Look, Bella, you can trust me. Seriously. I'm not going to hurt you or do anything to upset you. As I said, I guess I really need to make it up to you, all the crap I put you through when we were kids, and let's just say this is my way of apologizing. All I'm asking is for you to maybe spend a couple of hours with me, to give me the chance to show that I'm really an okay kind of guy."

Bella felt so confused. He seemed to be serious about what he was saying and appeared earnest, and his eyes were almost pleading with her.

The little bubbles of excitement were now going mad. She was truly intrigued. She wanted to see what he had planned, but she knew it was crazy to agree to go anywhere with him.

He was watching her, waiting for her to say whether she would or wouldn't go with him.

"What about your girlfriend? Wouldn't she be pissed off if she knew we'd gone out somewhere together?"

"She knows you're staying here with us and I'm just being hospitable. You know, as I said, showing you the sights. There's nothing else going on that she needs to worry about, and I'll tell her that."

"Oh... look, I don't know, Jacob. When do you want to go?" She knew she was going to agree to go with him, even though she knew it was ridiculous. But the way he had looked at her, he really did appear to be telling her the truth and want an attempt to make things right between them.

"Why don't we go tomorrow? About eleven."

"Tomorrow?" Now she was finding it much more difficult to ignore the fluttering that was happening deep in the pit if her stomach.

"Well, I would say that there's no time like the present, but you wouldn't see much in the dark, so tomorrow morning would be good."

"Oh, I'm not sure, Jacob, really... You can just say sorry here. We don't need to go anywhere or do anything."

"Yes we do... Look, I've been such a jerk, and I owe you big time. Just give me a chance, please."

That did it. Bella literally melted as he pleaded with her, even though she had a nagging feeling she would regret her decision.

"Okay... yeah. I'll go for a ride with you tomorrow, but I'm warning you, Jacob, if you try anything funny, I will never _ever_ forgive you." She tried to sound as stern as possible.

"Great! Tomorrow at eleven. I'll meet you in the kitchen..." He was grinning like an idiot, and it was contagious. Bella smiled back at him then went back to her book.

xXx

He couldn't believe it and couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Had she really agreed to go out with him tomorrow? Fuck yes! He wanted to punch the air triumphantly but needed to play it cool in front of her. Although, saying that, he still kept smiling every few minutes while he was watched the movie.

He'd glance over at her every so often, but she seemed to be totally engrossed in her book now.

He really wanted to talk to her some more but figured he'd accomplished enough tonight. Knowing his mouth and how he had trouble controlling it around her, he'd quit while he was ahead. Besides, they'd have plenty of time to talk tomorrow. Fuck yes! She'd agreed, and yes, there was that urge to do a fist pump again.

He was a little disappointed when Bella decided to go to bed just before the movie finished, but she was grinning happily as she left the living room saying, "Goodnight, Jacob. See you tomorrow at eleven in the kitchen."

"See you then, babe," he replied, inwardly cursing himself for calling her babe - she'd told him not to, shit! – but he wanted to congratulate himself yet again when she gave a tiny giggle and walked off to her room shaking her head.

Then his smile disappeared. What the hell was he going to do about Lauren?

"Your girlfriend, remember, Jake?" he whispered to himself.

It really wasn't fair to her that he had feelings for someone else. Of course, he didn't imagine that Bella would ever really be interested in him like that, but he just wanted her to see that he was okay and not as bad as she thought.

How could he continue to see Lauren, if all he could think about was Bella? If he was completely honest, Bella had never been far from his thoughts for years now, but instead of hating her – which was what he thought he did – he felt completely different about her now, and he was really confused at the sudden change that had taken place. He hadn't spoken to her much, but hell, it hadn't taken him long to realize that she wasn't half as annoying as he used to think she was. He began smiling again as he thought about having the chance to talk to her a whole lot more tomorrow.

xXx

Bella lay on the bed. She had just woken up after a surprisingly full and satisfying sleep. She hadn't even heard Billy and Sarah arrive back or Jacob go to bed.

Suddenly, a whole bunch of butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach at the thought of him. She remembered she had a 'date' with Jacob today. No, no, it wasn't a _date_! It was just his way of saying sorry to her for... well, for everything, really. And why the hell had she agreed to go with him again? Oh shit... she had no idea!

She sat up in bed. What would she wear? Nothing sexy, figure hugging, or low cut; she didn't want him to be getting any ideas – he's got a girlfriend, remember? And you don't like him, _remember_?

She quickly jumped out of bed and saw that it was 9:30. She had a look through her clothes and decided she'd wear an old pair of jeans, plaid flannel shirt, and her Timberland boots. Nothing sexy about this outfit! She thought smugly as she headed for the shower.

After she showered, she quickly got dressed and headed to the kitchen for some toast and coffee.

Jacob was nowhere to be seen, and although she was curious whether he was up yet, there was no way she was going to ask Billy or Sarah where he was.

His parents were in the living room drinking coffee, and Sarah quickly got up to make Bella some breakfast, but she laughingly insisted that Sarah sit back down since she was quite able to get her own.

While she pottered around in the kitchen, she called out a thank you to Sarah for leaving her some lasagna last night. Being sure to discreetly watch Sarah's expression, Bella went on to explain that she'd already eaten, so she'd let Jacob finish her portion.

Sarah was quick to check that Jacob didn't just help himself. So Bella told her, laughing, that Jacob had predicted that his mom would think that and that he'd definitely left her some, but she hadn't wanted it and, therefore, let Jacob have it.

Seeing that Sarah appeared satisfied with what she'd told her, she went back to buttering her toast, but not without noticing the little smile Sarah gave Billy, who'd been peering over his paper.

When Bella had finished her breakfast, she cleared her things away and went back to her room to finish getting ready.

She quickly dried her hair and, pulling it around to the side, started to braid it. She had no idea what they would be doing today, but at least her hair would be kept tidy and out of the way in a braid.

She hung around in her room. It was 10:45 now and the little butterflies were dancing around in her stomach like crazy. She checked herself in the mirror, no make-up, just a little clear gloss on her lips to stop them from getting dry. But for the amount of biting she doing on them, the gloss would come off quickly. She quickly popped a Chapstick in her jean pocket. Maybe that would be better given the circumstances.

She sat on the bed waiting. She decided she wouldn't wait for him in the kitchen. Sarah and Billy would get suspicious. Plus she didn't want him to think she was waiting for him and read more into it. No, she'd wait to hear him arrive from wherever he was and then she'd go out to the kitchen.

She kept looking at her bedside clock, and at 10:58, she heard the front door open and his parents greet him.

She stood up and ran her hands down her shirt, checking her jean pockets for her Chap stick, phone, and a small wallet. She wasn't sure if she needed money but didn't want to be caught out without any. Then she was ready to go.

She opened her door and walked through to the living area, and with a deliberate turn, she walked into the kitchen.

Bella's breath caught in her throat. There stood Jacob in jeans, a dark blue plaid flannel shirt, and old brown boots. She could have died from embarrassment that they were dressed virtually identically.

Jacob gave a low chuckle as he eyed her from head to toe, and Bella just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

She glanced over at Billy and Sarah, suddenly remembering they were both still in the living room, and to her further embarrassment, she could see that they were both watching her and Jacob with ridiculous grins on their faces.

xXx

He'd woken up pretty early, and unable to go back to sleep, he'd decided to get up and spend some time in his garage.

He felt like a kid on Christmas morning, full of excitement and anticipation. What the fuck had she done to him?

Before going to the garage, he decided to make some sandwiches for their little trip. He wasn't sure what she liked, so he made a selection, hoping she'd like something he made. Once he finished them, he wrapped them in foil and placed them in the fridge, laughing at himself. Last week, he thought he fucking hated her, and now look at him, unable to sleep, making her fucking sandwiches. She had him whipped, and they weren't even a couple.

Suddenly, that pang of guilt was there again. He'd never felt this way about Lauren. He never looked forward to seeing her like this. Yeah, he may have gotten excited at the prospect, but honestly, that was more to do with knowing he'd be getting laid at some point and not really about seeing her. And he'd certainly never made her sandwiches or taken her to anyplace special.

He was beginning to think that his whole relationship with Lauren was just wrong on so many levels.

He tidied the kitchen and put away the things he'd used and then made his way out to his garage.

Keeping a close eye on the time, he tinkered away with the bikes, making sure his favorite black one was in good condition.

He hadn't actually told Bella he was taking her out on his bike, but he'd wanted to prove that being a little adventurous could be fun too.

As the time neared eleven, he quickly wiped his hands on a rag and made his way back to the house.

His mom and dad were both in the living room reading as he walked in. He cheerily greeted them, and they both looked up and replied as he sauntered into the kitchen. Washing his hands and checking the clock, he could see that it was almost eleven, and he grinned as he leaned back against the counter, drying his hands.

He heard her door open and watched as she walked through the hall into the kitchen, hardly able to keep his eyes off her.

So many times he used to look at her and get pissed off. He called her Little Miss Perfect because everything she did was always right; she managed to please everyone. Now she stood in front of him, and he looked her up and down, laughing to himself as he thought that she really was just so fucking perfect.

She looked beautiful as a pink blush spread across the top of her cheeks. He couldn't believe the way she was dressed. Sure, he liked to see women dressed up, usually a little black number and some fuck- me heels. But equally, Jacob loved nothing more than to see a girl dressed down, in jeans and a shirt, and there she was in the perfect outfit for their trip and dressed just like him. And holy fuck! What had she done to her hair? It was in a side braid that made her look so sweet and innocent but was so fucking hot at the same time. Did this girl even realize what she was fucking doing to him?

He shook his head lightly as he walked over to the fridge, grabbed the little foil pack of sandwiches and a couple of sodas, and stuffed them into the small backpack lying on the counter next to him.

As though suddenly realizing he'd forgotten something, he quickly made his way to his room, telling her he'd be back in two seconds.

He quickly found what he was looking for. It was too small for him now after he had a growth spurt at sixteen, but he figured that although it might be a bit big on her, it would look good.

He headed back to the kitchen and, grabbing the backpack off the counter asked her if she was ready.

Taking his leather jacket off the coat hook, he opened the door and watched her pass through it. Then he called back to his parents that they were going out for a bit and would be back in a few hours.

They walked down the path together, but then Jacob started heading towards the garage.

"Um... shall I go and wait in the car?" She was gesturing over to the Rabbit. Jacob gave a low chuckle; he knew she hadn't realized what vehicle he intended to use.

"Oh, we're not taking the car," he said as he continued to walk to the garage.

Bella ran a little to catch up with him.

"What do you mean we're not taking the car? What are we taking?"

Reaching the door of the garage, Jacob swung it open.

"We're taking the bike!"

Jacob gestured to the shiny black machine he had lovingly restored. There was a time when the Rabbit was his pride and joy, but now... he had worked so hard on the bikes, and this black beauty rode like a dream.

"Oh no! No way am I getting on that thing!" Bella exclaimed, folding her arms across her chest. Jacob couldn't help thinking she looked like a petulant little kid who hadn't got her own way and was in need of a good spanking – yeah, he really needed to get off that train of thought straight away.

"Come on, Bella, you said you would come for a ride with me. You can't back out now!"

"I thought you meant a ride in your car, not on the back of this thing."

"Look, I promise I won't let any harm come to you. I've ridden this thing loads of times, and I'm really safe. Plus, it's adventurous... come on, give it a try. If you don't like it, I'll turn around, we'll come straight back and we'll take the car instead."

He watched as she looked at the bike then back at him, biting her bottom lip - so fucking adorable. He could see her thinking it over as she unfolded her arms.

Suddenly feeling pretty bold Jacob gently took her hand and immediately thought he'd got an electric shock.

"Come on, Bella, you can trust me, honestly."

He wondered if she felt the little shocks too as she looked at him and slowly took her hand back.

"Okay, Jacob, but I swear if anything happens..."

"Seriously, Bella, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

xXx

Jacob was looking at her, waiting for her decision. She looked over at the bike then back at him. But her mind completely went blank as she felt him take her hand in his. She didn't know what it was, but she couldn't think, not with him touching her. He was saying something about trusting him, but she couldn't be sure because everything had gone fuzzy as she felt his warm skin against her own.

She slowly took her hand back from him and as she did, things became clear again.

"Okay, Jacob, but I swear if anything happens..." What exactly would she do? What _could_ she do to Jacob Black? She was like putty in his hands. He had touched her, and suddenly, she was willing to put her life in danger for him.

Her stomach fluttered as she thought of what else she would let Jacob talk her into with just a gentle touch. She really needed to up her guard around him.

"Seriously, Bella, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Yeah, well, you'd better not, or you'll have my dad to answer to!" she replied sharply before calming enough to ask, "So what exactly do I need to do?" She walked over to the bike trying to gain some distance between them.

"You just need to hold on tight... to me..." He grinned as he walked over to join her. "Just copy what I do. If I lean a certain way, lean with me and just don't let go."

Great, there she was trying to get some distance from him, and in a few minutes she'd be holding him tight, so close it would be impossible for her to function.

She shook her head. She could do this, She just needed to stop thinking about it and do it.

"Okay, are we gonna do this then?" She looked at him with her hands on her hips.

"That we are, but you might want to wear this. It gets a bit breezy on a bike." He handed her a leather jacket, which she recognized he'd been carrying when he came back into the kitchen from his bedroom.

"It's way too small for me now, and although it might be a bit big on you, it should keep you warm," he said as he put on his own jacket.

Bella pulled on the jacket he'd handed her and was touched by his thoughtfulness. It did fit her quite well. Yeah, it was a bit big here and there, but it was okay. As she moved around in it, she could smell the leather along with the gorgeous scent of Jacob's cologne. She had to stop herself from putting the collar up to her nose to take in the full aroma.

"Um...would you mind wearing this too? If I wear it, you won't be able to hold on properly," Jacob reasoned as he handed her the small backpack, "It's not very heavy."

"Err… yeah, of course," she replied, taking the bag from him and putting her arms through the straps.

"And finally, you'll need to wear this." He handed her a black crash helmet.

She looked down at it as Jacob took it back from her, and smiling, he gently placed it on her head and began adjusting the strap under her chin.

Bella was watching him as she felt his fingers gently brush her skin. He was close to her now, and she looked up at his mouth.

She realized that she'd never seen Jacob smile as much as he had last night and today. Whenever she used to see him, he always had a mean, moody scowl on his face, or if he did smile, it was some kind of cocky smirk. But last night and the brief time she'd spent with him so far today, he had really smiled – a warm, friendly, full, and happy smile; she liked it.

There was no denying Jacob was handsome at the best of times, but smiling like this, he looked like one of those Greek gods she'd seen on TV that wasn't of this world.

"Okay, how does that feel?" Jacob asked, checking that the helmet was tight enough, but not uncomfortably tight.

"It feels fine. Thank you."

"No problem." There was that warm smile again. "Okay, let's get going."

"What about your helmet, Jacob?"

"Oh, I only have one... Don't worry, I'll be fine. And besides your clever little brain will be far more important to this world than mine ever will," he laughingly told her.

Jacob rocked the bike off the stand and rolled it out of the garage. Throwing his leg over the machine and kick-starting it, he looked over at Bella. "On you get, babe!" he said loudly over the noise of the engine.

Bella climbed onto the back of the bike, and just before wrapping her arms tightly around Jacob's waist, she leaned forward close to his ear.

"I told you not to call me babe!" she said loudly.

She could feel his chest shake as she realized he was laughing. Jacob revved the throttle and pulled away. Tightening her grip on his waist, she rested her cheek on his back and leaned her whole body against him. Bella closed her eyes, and as she felt the wind whip against her face, she couldn't stop smiling.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N Thanks to my wonderful Beta jkane180 and all my lovely friends on Twitter for their support. I'm so sorry for the delay in getting updates out. Real life has been so busy and I've increased my hours at work for a while, but I'm trying to write when I can.

As always I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I would love to hear your views. I really do appreciate all your reviews and feedback. Ali x

This story is rated M for a reason, some bad language and sexual situations later on.

All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

They rode the bike along a winding coastal road with hardly any traffic. Much of it appeared to be uphill, and to Bella's relief, Jacob didn't go too fast. She was sure he was holding back because he knew she was nervous - another act of thoughtfulness that caused a bit of a meltdown to her insides.

Bella held on tight. She was a little frightened, but she was also really enjoying the ride. She could feel the excitement and adrenaline racing though her body, but she couldn't be certain whether to blame it on the bike ride or the fact that she was so close to Jacob with her whole body pressed tightly to his.

Thinking at one point that this was likely to be the only time she would ever be this close to him, she decided to take full advantage of the situation. She pressed into him as much as she could, and gripping his waist tightly, she breathed in his masculine scent. At that moment, she couldn't help thinking that Jacob Black was truly the epitome of 'all man.'

They'd been riding for about fifteen minutes when Jacob pulled off the main road and started along a dirt track. At the end of the track, there was a wooden gate. Jacob stopped the bike and killed the engine.

"We're almost there. We just have to go a little way on foot now," he said over his shoulder.

Bella loosened her grip on Jacob's waist with a tinge of regret and got off the bike.

Jacob followed suit and put the bike on its stand.

"So how was that? Fun, eh?" He grinned as Bella started to undo the strap under her chin, but Jacob was there before she had the chance to finish it herself. His fingers brushed gently against hers as he carefully undid the strap and lifted the helmet from her head.

"Um, thanks. Yeah, it was fun and not as scary as I thought it would be." She returned his smile as she brushed a few loose strands of hair from her face.

"Er... are sure you weren't that scared? You held on pretty tight most of the way." He chuckled.

"Oh, sorry..." Bella blushed as she looked down to avoid his gaze.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I certainly ain't complaining, babe." He gave her a wink as Bella looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I know... I'm sorry. It just slips out so easy, you know, just rolls off the tongue... I won't call you it again, okay?" he offered with an exaggerated roll of his eyes.

"Good!" she replied as Jacob automatically started taking the  
>backpack straps off her arms.<p>

"I'll carry this now." He put one arm through a strap, so it hung from one shoulder, and started walking towards the wooden gate.

"It's not far, but just watch your footing. It can be a bit tricky in some parts."

"Are we allowed up here, Jacob?"

Although there was a path, it didn't look as though if had been used often.

"Yeah, it used to be an old hiking trail, but hardly anyone comes up it now." He held the gate open, waiting for her to pass through it.

As they started making their way through the overgrown path, they walked at a steady pace. She knew Jacob was walking a little slower so that she could easily keep up with him – another one of those thoughtful little things to add to the tally.

The path was a little slippery but not too bad.

At one point, they came across a small bank that went down slightly and back up the other side. Jacob went first and waited at the bottom for Bella, just in case she needed his help. Then he climbed up the other side and held out his hand for Bella to grab. She gladly took a hold, and he gently pulled and helped her up.

Bella couldn't help noticing how big Jacob's hands were compared to hers, and how warm they were. As she reached the top, she reluctantly let go of his hand with a mumbled thanks, but she could still feel the warmth and a tingling sensation from his contact.

"So is that one of the bikes you fixed up?" Bella asked, genuinely interested in Jacob's little project that Billy had told her about.

"Yeah, it took a few months, but I'm really pleased with them. I'm hoping to the sell the other one soon, but I'll keep the black one."

"Where did you get them from?"

"Oh, they belonged to a friend of Sam's, and he was going to take 'em to a scrap yard. But Sam told him that I might be interested in them. Sam knew what I'd done to the Rabbit and thought it would be a good project for me."

"Wow. That was good of Sam. It's lucky he thought of you."

"Yeah. Sam's cool. Hey, we're here!"

They came to the end of the path, and in front of her, Bella could see a small, open, grassy area at the top of a cliff. There were a few old tree stumps and logs lying around and some colorful wild flowers. Bella also noticed some big rocks here and there.

"Oh my god, Jacob, this place is beautiful!" Bella exclaimed, looking around her.

"Yeah, pretty special, uh?" Jacob put the backpack down on a log as Bella moved towards the edge of the cliff.

"Hey, just don't go too close to the edge," he warned.

"Woah, it's really high up here!" Bella looked out to the ocean and could see a small island not far out to the left. Looking down, she could see and hear the waves crashing against the rocks below. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the assault on her senses. She could even taste the salty air on her tongue.

"Uh huh, this is one of the highest cliffs. There are some lower ledges a bit further down, but I love it up here. Hardly anyone comes up this far, and it's so peaceful."

With her eyes still closed, Bella felt him come to stand close beside her.

"This is one of my secret places you never found, eh?" he teased.

She turned her head to look at him and rolled her eyes. "I never came looking for you, Jacob. Honestly, I didn't. I tried to find places where I would be out of your way, but you always found me."

Jacob gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I thought I was doing the same. I think the great spirits were playing with us, Bella," he said as he looked up to the sky, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, just something the Big Chief told me once. Maybe I'll tell you about it one day." He chuckled again.

"The Big Chief?" She looked at him, confused.

"My dad, Bella!" He smiled cheekily.

"Oh, wow, I forget who he is... well, not who he is. I guess _what _he is."

"Mmm... Wish I could sometimes," Jacob mumbled as he turned and walked back to the log where he'd left the backpack.

As he sat down, Bella walked over to join him.

"You wish you could forget what he is?" she asked curiously as she sat beside him.

Jacob sighed as he looked ahead. "Just kinda reminds me of the responsibility that lies ahead."

"You don't want to be Chief?" she heard herself asking.

Jacob looked at her, and Bella wondered whether her question had annoyed him, but he smiled and Bella quietly sighed in relief.

"It's not that I don't want to be Chief. I just think there are other people who deserve it more. Just because I'm his son doesn't mean I'll be any good at it."

Bella listened as Jacob continued, "Sam would make a good Chief. He works with the kids here, and he's done so much for the community. He's helped me out a lot, Bella. I was on the verge of going off the rails and fucking everything up, but Sam stepped in and made me realize what an idiot I was being. He got me the job at the garage too."

Bella could only watch Jacob as he spoke.

"So how its right that I'll be Chief one day when someone like Sam is more deserving of it?"

"Have you spoken to your dad about it? Have you told him how you feel?" The questions were leaving her mouth before she even realized it, but Jacob seemed to be okay with answering them.

"I don't want to disappoint him. He knows I'm not stoked by the idea, but I haven't really talked about it with him. Plus, he'll just say that it's in my blood so it has to be blah, blah, blah."

"Do you know what you'll have to do, you know... when you're chief?"

"Well, for obvious reasons, I'm hoping it's a long way off yet. But no, not really. I've never taken any interest in it."

"Well, maybe you should. I'm sure it would make your dad really happy to see you taking an interest, and it might help you... You know, if you knew what was involved. Are you allowed to go to the council meetings?" Bella was half expecting for Jacob to either snap her head off for interfering or just clam up and stop taking. So she was relieved when he continued.

"Um, yeah, I think so. Well, some of them, now that I'm eighteen."

"Okay... well, maybe you should start going to a few, you know... just to see what happens."

"Yeah, maybe, we'll see." He smiled at her.

Bella put her arms behind her on the log and leaned back, lifting her face to the sky, and closed her eyes. The sun had decided to make an appearance as a warm breeze caressed her face.

She couldn't believe where she was and who she was with. She was sitting next to Jacob Black, the boy she grew up hating. They were together in this beautiful place, and she had never felt so happy, so at ease. She felt like she belonged. She belonged here, in this special place, with him, and that feeling confused the hell out of her.

xXx

He couldn't stop looking at her. She was smiling with her eyes closed, and her face lifted to the sun.

She had the most gorgeous porcelain skin, flawless, apart from the splattering of freckles across her nose and a little darker patch just under the outer corner of her right eye. She was so fucking perfect.

He'd never really looked at her this closely before. Sure, he knew she was pretty - no, beautiful - but he'd never really seen her beauty up this close.

It took all his strength to not reach out and run his finger across her cheek and down to her lips. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her and hold her.

At that moment, while his eyes were fixed on her lips, she licked them, parting them slightly, and let out a contented sigh. Holy fuck! What the hell was she doing to him?

He was mesmerized by her, not just her looks, but her whole being. He'd opened up to her. He'd never told anyone about how he felt having the title of chief passed onto him, but there was something about her that made him want to share; his feelings, his special place, a part of himself. He was definitely under her spell. This wasn't a curse. He knew that now. Curses were meant to be bad things, and there was no way that this was bad - whatever 'this' was.

"It's so beautiful here, Jacob. I could stay here forever." She sighed again. "What do you do up here?"

Jacob turned his head and gazed at the ocean. "I usually come up here to think... or read sometimes."

"Oh, you read?" She sounded surprised, and Jacob turned to look at her and frowned a little.

"I can read, you know, Bella!" He sighed loudly and shook his head but smiled, so she'd know he wasn't angry.

"Oh god, no, I didn't mean it like that," she blurted out, "I guess what I meant was... um, what do you read?"

Jacob grinned at her. "Oh, you know... 'The Great Mechanics Handbook.' Oh and 'Playboy.'"

It was Bella's turn to sigh loudly.

"Hey, I'm joking about 'Playboy.' But I do read about cars and stuff though, and I sometimes come up here to do school work. Other times, I just sit here, thinking and watching..."

He was watching her now, and when her eyes fixed on his, he felt his own face grow warm and a tingling sensation in the pit of his stomach. It seemed that neither one of them could look away from the other, but Bella suddenly broke the moment.

"I imagine your girlfriend loves it here too?" With the question, she turned her eyes away from him and looked down at her hands that were now in her lap.

"Um... I've never brought her up here." Jacob was still watching her.

He didn't really want to think about Lauren at the moment, and certainly didn't want to talk about her, but there was something about Bella. If she asked a question, he felt compelled to answer.

"She's not really an outdoor kind of girl."

Jacob thought of how Lauren preferred to snuggle up indoors or go for a coffee or to the movies. She wouldn't want to sit up here with him for hours. In fact, the most time they spent outside was when they were having sex somewhere, since they could rarely do it at her place or his.

"Yeah, um... You're the only one I've brought up here," he continued, "I kind of thought you'd be the type of person who'd appreciate it." He shrugged his shoulders, trying to seem casual, but still watching her, wanting to see how she'd react to what he was telling her.

He was pleased to see she was smiling and nodding her head in agreement.

"Oh, it certainly is wonderful, but I wouldn't have thought you'd be the kind of guy who'd like a place like this."

She gave him a coy look from under her lashes, and Jacob was transfixed again. He knew she had some hold on him. He was beginning to realize that was the case many years ago, he just didn't recognize it then or want to admit it. But being here with her in this place - his special place - everything seemed so much more intense but at the same time so natural. He had never felt so relaxed, so... himself.

He sighed as he began to speak. "Well, there was a time when I hated it here, not actually here, but you know... the reservation. I guess I knew I'd be destined to stay here, not being able to move away and live somewhere else, and that shit really pissed me off. It made me resent this place, my heritage, everything, so fucking much..." He wasn't proud of what he was saying and felt a little ashamed to admit it out loud.

Again, he'd never told anyone about it, not even Lauren, but this was Bella he was talking to, and for some reason, he couldn't shut the fuck up.

"I guess that's one of the things that pissed me off about you!" He gave a small nod in her direction.

"Me?"

He laughed when he saw her eyes grow wide and a little bit of shock on her face.

"Yeah, you." He nudged her playfully with his elbow.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, I just couldn't understand why you kept coming here. You'd lived in Arizona with your mom. Then you came to Forks to live with your dad. One day, you'll be able to live wherever you want. You'll be able to live anywhere in the world. But you always seem to keep coming here, all the fucking time." Jacob shook his head, grinning.

"But it wasn't my choice to move to Forks. I had to when my mom started travelling with Phil. At least your parents are still together. Do you know how shitty it is to be torn between two people? And the reservation is amazing. I love it here, so I came to visit with my dad whenever I could. The only downside of course was seeing you. That's why I tried to avoid you, but... well, you know what happened then."

He could tell she was a little pissed at his confession. She was suddenly being all defensive, and although Jacob didn't want to upset her and ruin this moment, he couldn't help thinking how fucking hot she was when she got annoyed.

"Hey, I can understand all that now. But at the time, I kinda felt you were rubbing my nose in it... I suppose I was a little jealous, you know. You could live anywhere, go anywhere..."

"That's just stupid, Jacob. How could I rub your nose in it when I had no idea what you were thinking or that you were jealous? Is that why you were so mean to me?"

"I know... Fuck, it sounds really stupid, but I was a moody, dumb ass kid, and besides, that wasn't the only reason." He just couldn't seem to stop talking, opening up to her, but it felt good to get it off his chest.

"Oh, what other reason was there?"

He heard her take in a deep breath. Yeah she was definitely pissed at him now, but shit... she was as hot as fuck.

"Um, well... You always had your nose stuck in a book. Whenever you did come to visit, you never spoke to me. You ignored me." He looked at her, biting his lip.

"You didn't exactly try to speak to me either, Jacob. I just thought it was best to keep out of your way, but that obviously didn't work." She was looking at him defiantly now, and the way she said his name, hell... his jeans were beginning to feel pretty tight suddenly.

There was something in the way she was looking at him, almost challenging him, that made Jacob think that she could be pretty explosive if they ever had a real fight.

He had thought she was a timid little goody goody, but he was beginning to realize pretty quickly that Bella had some spunk, and she certainly wasn't a pushover.

Suddenly, those thoughts took another path, and his head became full of images of him and Bella engaging in hot, angry, passionate sex. Shit, he really needed to think of something else.

He shifted a little uncomfortably on the log, hoping she wouldn't notice his raging... predicament.

"Look, Bella, I'm sorry, okay? Really, I am, for everything I did to you. But you know it wasn't really that bad. My sisters did that kind of stuff to me all the time. It was just kids' stuff."

"Yeah, well, I didn't have the luxury of having any brothers or sisters to introduce me to your kind of torture!" she said sarcastically, "So excuse me for not being used to that kind of _stuff_. Seriously, you were pretty mean, Jacob."

"What more can I say, Bella? I'm really, really sorry. I hoped bringing you here would go some way to making it up to you a little," he offered sincerely, trying to get his mind back on track and away from his lustful thoughts... for now, at least.

"Oh, and I have another little surprise..." he said, smiling warmly at her.

He noticed the hard edge in her eyes softening.

"A surprise?" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and he couldn't help laughing at her expression.

Jacob grabbed the backpack and, after rummaging around, brought out a couple cans of soda and the foil package.

"Lunch!" He grinned at her as he opened up the package and offered her a sandwich. "Made by moi..."

"Um, are they edible?" she teased as she took one.

"Of course they're fucking edible!" He laughed. "I don't know, Bella. First you think I can't read. Then, I can't make a simple fucking sandwich. You don't have a lot of faith in me, do you?"

Bella laughed softly at his pained expression and took a bite.

"Mmm, can't say it's the best I've ever tasted, but it's not bad as far as sandwiches go," she mumbled with her mouth full.

"Hey, I was in a rush and didn't know what you liked, but don't worry, next time you taste something of mine, it'll be the best experience of your life!" he promised, and inwardly congratulated himself when he saw the sudden flash of color in Bella's cheeks as she swallowed her mouthful with a large gulp.

Well, shit, it looks as though Bella has a bit of a dirty mind too, Jacob thought as he looked out at the ocean with a cocky smirk.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N Well finally an update. Thanks as always to the amazing jkane180 for being my Beta! What can I say? I'm so sorry it's taken me forever and I have no excuses. I just fail miserably at updates and review replies. Thank you for all the alerts, reviews, and support! I really do appreciate them. I would love to know what you think of this chapter – good and bad – so please let me know. Ali x

xXx

They continued to eat their lunch quietly, looking out at the ocean. Bella replayed their conversation in her head, and although she had been a little annoyed by Jacob's comments, she was glad that he had explained things to her and at least he really did appear to be sorry.

She wanted to take the conversation a little further though. Especially the part where Jacob had said she always ignored him. At the time, she was a little wound up and didn't really pick up on what he was saying. She'd just gotten defensive and shot back that he had ignored her too. But now, having the chance to think about it, she wondered what he meant. Did he want her attention when they were kids? Was that the reason he was always so pissed at her? She definitely wanted to find out a bit more, but maybe later.

She finished eating and opened her can of soda while taking a discreet peek in Jacob's direction. He looked happy and relaxed. A complete contrast to how he used to look whenever she saw him. Jacob was incredibly handsome, she already knew that, even when he would glare at her meanly. But seeing him now, it was like seeing him properly for the first time. He wasn't just good-looking, he was absolutely striking, and Bella was struggling to keep her eyes off him as he gazed out to sea.

She glanced down at the can in her hand and slyly peeked over at Jacob's jean-clad thigh. It had to be twice the size of hers, and it was hard, lean, solid muscle: just like the rest of him.

Her thoughts wandered back to seeing him with that tiny white towel wrapped around his waist, and the morning he came out of his room in just his boxer briefs. Yes, Jacob was certainly striking to look at, and it wasn't just his face.

She suddenly let out a loud, dreamy sigh. Jacob, who appeared to be lost in his own thoughts, turned to look at her, smiling broadly.

"You okay?" he asked watching her intently.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just can't quite get over how beautiful it is up here," she answered him, all too aware of where her thoughts were really headed.

"It sure is, Bella." His eyes searched , and she struggled to tear her gaze away from his.

She could suddenly feel her heart pounding in her chest and was eager to get the conversation going again to break the intense moment.

Taking another gulp from her can, she shook her head and gave a small giggle.

"I can't believe we wore the same outfit." She gestured between them.

"I know. Crazy, right?" Jacob agreed, shaking his head and laughing softly.

"But you know, if it'll make you feel better, I can take my shirt off, or... better still, you could take off yours." He grinned at her as he went to remove his jacket.

Bella rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her lips.

"Jacob, just because you brought me up here, apologized, made me lunch, and... we talked a bit, doesn't mean I like you. You're still a jerk, you know?" She pushed Jacob's shoulder playfully and instantly blushed at the contact and act of familiarity.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But, I'm working on it, okay?" He laughed as he shrugged his jacket back on.

xXx

Jacob sat quietly, watching the ocean. It was so peaceful, and the few minutes of silence that had fallen between them felt comfortable and relaxed.

He reluctantly checked his watch and glumly thought to himself that they'd have to start heading back soon. There was no cell phone signal up here, and he knew Lauren would be trying to get hold of him. After all, he was supposed to be sick and said he'd speak to her today.

Again, he didn't really want to think about Lauren at the moment, but she was his girlfriend and he couldn't help the little wave of guilt that suddenly passed over him.

What he and Bella were doing was completely innocent. Okay, so maybe his thoughts hadn't been, but that was natural, right? After all, he was just a guy, here, alone, in a beautiful place with a gorgeous girl. He was sure that any other red-blooded guy would be thinking exactly the same way; he was certain of it.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Bella letting out a breathy sigh. He asked her if she was okay, and she said she was and that she just couldn't believe how beautiful it was up here. And honestly, she looked more than okay: happy, content, and fucking perfect.

In fact, as Jacob held her gaze, he couldn't help thinking how much more beautiful this place was now that she was here.

"It sure is, Bella," he said softly as he continued to watch her. Fuck, he could just sit watching her all day long, but then she made some comment about what they had both worn.

Jacob thought it was pretty darn cool that they'd dressed the same, great minds and all that, and of course, he couldn't help offering to take off his shirt if it would make her feel better. Then his mouth had run away from him, as usual, and he suggested she take her shirt off. Why was he such a fucking idiot?

When she teased him and told him he was still a jerk, with a sexy smile plastered across her face, he knew he was in the clear. Oh yeah, and she'd said something about just because he'd done 'this and that' and they'd talked a bit didn't mean she liked him. But Jacob didn't really pay too much attention because from the way she'd been checking him out on the sly, he was pretty sure she didn't dislike him as much as she claimed to.

He did tell her he'd try to work on the jerk bit though. And he would too, he thought to himself.

Jacob turned to look back out at the ocean, smiling to himself when he'd acknowledged that she must have been feeling pretty comfortable with him since she'd playfully shoved him. Yep, today had been pretty amazing.

Then suddenly, something caught his eye far off in the distance. He started rummaging around in the backpack and brought out two small pairs of binoculars. Handing a pair to Bella, he pointed out what had caught his attention.

"I was hoping they'd show up. Here, take a look over to the right. Do you see the water spouts?" He watched her and couldn't keep the excitement off his face when she, too, spotted them.

"Oh my God, Jacob, whales..." She sighed in awe then looked at him.

"Hey, didn't I say I came up here to just 'watch' sometimes?" he said, winking at her and bringing his own pair of binoculars to his eyes, scanning the ocean.

"Jacob, this is amazing. What are they doing here?" she asked, not taking her eyes away from the sight before her.

"They're grey whales, swimming north to their feeding grounds off the coasts of Alaska and Siberia. You'll only be able to see the females and their calves; the males swim further out. They always travel North in May and June then head back South to the warmer waters in October to breed. But you don't get to see them much then since they swim too far from the shore."

He couldn't help feeling pretty smug when he saw the way Bella was looking at him.

"That's right, babe, the man can read, make sandwiches _and _knows a thing or two about nature." He raised his eyebrow with a cocky grin. "Not as dumb as you thought, eh?"

He looked back at the whales but was well aware that Bella was watching him, or glaring at him; he couldn't be sure which.

"Well, you sure are dumb enough to call me babe _again _when I've told you I don't know how many times not to!"

Jacob couldn't help laughing, especially when he saw that he was right about her glaring at him.

"So tell me. Why do you get so pissed over me calling you babe?" he asked.

"I don't know, really." She shrugged, her eyes softening again. "I guess, I'm not actually your babe, am I? And it's so... generic."

Jacob paused and looked at her, scrunching his brow in confusion. Bella laughed, and he could only assume it was at his expression.

"Generic?" he repeated.

"Yeah, generic... You could call any girl babe. Someone in the street, in a club, your girlfriend... it doesn't mean anything to me. Um... I mean..." Jacob noticed that she seemed suddenly aware of what she had said, so he quickly jumped in.

"So when I call you babe, you want it to mean something?" He raised his eyebrows and saw that all too familiar blush in her cheeks.

She quickly turned her face away, held the binoculars up to her eyes, and continued watching the whales.

"No, that's not what I mean. Anyhow, I have a name, and it's not babe."

"Okay, but your name is a bit..."

"What? It's a bit what?" she asked, resting the binoculars down on her lap.

"I don't know... It just sounds like a name I'd call a dog: Bel-la," he said slowly, exaggerating and dragging out her name. "It's a bit of a mouthful."

"Oh, you're joking, right? It's two syllables, like Ja-cob." She said his name slowly, mocking the way he had said hers.

He laughed. "Well, yeah, okay, it's not really that much of a mouthful, but I think we could cut it down to one syllable... like babe. You could call me Jake, everyone else does, and I'll call you..." he thought for a few seconds, tapping his chin with his finger then suddenly grinning, "...Bells. How's that? Jake and Bells; sounds easy, right?"

"Mmm, Bells and Jake. I don't know. It sounds kind of friendly to me." She was teasing him again, and he fucking loved it.

"Yeah, maybe we'll just be Jake and Bells in private then. Wouldn't want anyone thinking we were friends or anything like that, right?" He winked at her.

"You're on, Jake," Bella replied, and Jacob almost fell off the log when she winked back at him.

xXx

They continued to watch the whales for about half an hour. Bella could have stayed all afternoon, but she was sure that they'd have to head back soon.

She couldn't help wondering how Jacob would explain where he'd been to his girlfriend. She also couldn't help the small sinking feeling in her stomach when she reminded herself that, yes, he did indeed have a girlfriend. Why on earth would it bother her? She wasn't interested in him, right? How could she even consider liking him? But the truth was, she had seen a whole new side to Jacob today, and it had completely sidelined her.

Yes, he was still a jerk, and he couldn't stop teasing her with his sexual innuendos, but it wasn't malicious, and actually, she kind of liked it. Of course she'd never tell him that, but he was funny. In fact, he was kind of loveable and playful in a roguish, rugged way, and holy shit, if she wasn't careful, she was going to be in big trouble.

"Hey, I'm really sorry to say this, but we should start heading back." She watched him put his binoculars in the backpack and handed him the pair she'd used.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said reluctantly.

Bella stood and took another look around, sighing at the beautiful scene.

"You ready?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Uh-huh, let's go."

They walked back along the path, headed back down to where they'd left the bike.

Bella felt a lot more relaxed headed back than she had on the way up here. She decided she'd ask Jacob what he meant when he'd said she always used to ignore him.

"Well, you did. You always ignored me. In fact, the only time you'd look up was if Paul was close by!" Jacob replied bluntly.

Bella smiled to herself as she remembered her little girl crush on Paul Lahote and the attention he would give her. Her smile faded a little when she remembered how heartbroken she was seeing him walking along hand in hand with another girl.

"Is he that bad? I mean... I know he has a reputation and all, but is he really that bad?" she asked.

Bella heard Jacob let out a deep sigh, and he seemed to be thinking before he answered slowly.

"Honestly, Bella... Bells," he grinned, using her new nickname, "he's loyal and a good friend, and no, he's not as bad as everyone thinks. He's had a few girlfriends, but you'll need to ask him about them cause it's not up to me to talk about his business. What I would say though... if you really do like him, just be careful; he likes to have fun."

Jacob had stopped just ahead of her and was looking at her intensely. Bella felt a little confused by Jacob's expression.

"I can be fun, and I know how to have fun," she replied, frowning and giving a nervous giggle.

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "Err... I'm not sure your idea of fun is the same as Paul's idea of fun, Bells." He wiggled his eyebrows as if to emphasize his point.

"Oh... " Bella felt the heat in her cheeks as Jacob gave a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, Paul likes fun, Bells. I'm not sure he's looking for a committed 'boyfriend/girlfriend' relationship." He started walking again slowly.

"Who's says I'm after a committed relationship? Maybe I just want to have some fun..."

Jacob turned and started walking backwards, keeping slightly ahead of her.

"So you want to have some fun, eh?" He was grinning at her, and Bella couldn't help smiling back at him.

"If you keep walking backwards like that you're going to trip... and if you do, I'll laugh my ass off, and that would be fun, right?" She laughed at him.

"And that is what I call an evasive tactic, Miss Swan. You didn't answer my question." He raised his eyebrow at her questionably.

"Well, maybe I do just want to have some fun. Who said anything about me wanting to be in a committed relationship?" She shrugged.

This wasn't really a conversation she expected or wanted to have with Jacob Black. But he was like a dog with a bone and didn't seem willing to let it go.

"So you don't want to be in a committed relationship?" Jacob asked her, looking a little confused.

"I didn't say I did, and I didn't say I didn't. You're just assuming, Jac... Jake." She smiled. She knew she was just trying to get out of this conversation. Honestly, she didn't really know what she wanted and hadn't given it much thought. She continued walking and tried to avoid looking at him.

"Aha, I think you're just fucking with my head, Bells..." He stopped as they approached the small bank that dipped down and back up the other side and shook his head.

"Well, I guess I'll just see what happens when I start seeing someone, but ultimately, it would be nice to just have some fun. Then, if it develops to something more serious and it feels right, then I guess that would be good too. Does that answer your question?"

Jacob started down the bank. "Yeah I guess that's as good an answer as any."

She saw him reach the bottom and wait for her to climb down.

"So how would you describe your relationship with Lauren? Just fun, or is it serious?" She slowly made her way down, being careful to watch her footing.

"Um... Well, I guess it's kind of fun, for the most part, and if I'm honest, our relationship isn't exactly deep, you know? I mean... it's kind of... mainly..." Bella could almost see him squirming as he was obviously avoiding looking at her now. "...Err, physical."

"Oh, right." She suddenly remembered Lauren sucking on his neck and how they were all over each over at the beach.

As she reached the bottom, Jacob started climbing up the other side. It wasn't a deep bank, but he still went ahead of her and then waited at the top, holding out his hand to help her up.

They both remained silent as Bella started up the other side, and Jacob reached down to grab her hand. As she reached the top of the bank, Jacob took a step back, still holding on to her hand, and before she was really aware of what was happening, Jacob lost his footing and was falling backwards, pulling her with him.

He landed heavily on his back with Bella sprawled on top of him. She couldn't help laughing out loud as Jacob cursed about having a stick stuck up his ass.

"Oh, you think that's funny, eh?" he asked as he, too, started laughing with her.

"I did say you would fall, didn't I?" she said breathlessly.

"Yeah, yeah, but I wasn't walking backwards. I was helping you up, and that's the sympathy I get? That fucking hurt." He looked at her sadly, and she suspected he exaggerated the look considerably.

"Okay, I'm sorry, Jake. Are you all right?" She was still smiling but had her laughter under control.

"Oh, I think I'm beginning to feel much better now," he replied as his eyes scanned her face, and then he lifted his head to the side to glance down the length of her body.

She was suddenly aware that she was still sprawled across him with her face just inches away from his. Their legs were entwined, and somehow, his hands were now on her waist. This was dangerous... very dangerous, and just as that thought registered, Jacob closed the gap, and in an instant, his lips were on hers.

Bella was in shock, but she wasn't sure of the reason. Yes, Jacob was kissing her, but she realized she was kissing him back. It was slow and gentle, and his lips were so soft. She closed her eyes as she felt his hand caress the back of her neck, holding her firmly but gently to him. She sighed softly as he parted his lips, and the tip of his tongue sought hers.

She heard him groan as the kiss deepened and became more intense. Bella's stomach was in knots; the fluttering sensations were driving her crazy. What on earth were they doing? She should stop this, she knew it, but it felt so good, and she whimpered as Jacob pulled her even closer.

Suddenly, she felt the warmth of his hand on the skin of her waist, under her shirt and slowly moving upwards. Bella was jolted out of her euphoric state and came to her senses. She pushed gently against his chest, and Jacob released her without hesitation.

She looked at him and was suddenly furious. How could he kiss her? How the hell could she kiss him back? She didn't really know who she was madder at: him or herself.

"What the hell was that? I can't believe you just kissed me. Oh my god!" She pushed away from him as he lay on the ground watching her.

Bella couldn't help noticing the pink color tinting his dark cheeks, his breathlessness, and of course, the prominent bulge that was now pressed hard against her, since she was now sitting astride him.

"Holy fuck, I'm sorry, Bells..." he stammered.

"It's Bella..." she shot back, scrambling to get off him.

"Oh for fuck's sake, are we really back to that again?" he said, exasperated, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. "Look, babe, oh yeah, I'll call you what I want! I kissed you; I'm sorry. I obviously misread the signs and thought it was what you wanted..."

"Oh my god. Seriously? Signs? What fucking signs, Jacob?" Yeah, she was mad, real mad, and the thing that made her really angry was that she knew there had been some flirting going on, which he may have misinterpreted. Oh hell.

"Oh, here we go... Little Miss Fucking Innocent claims to know nothing. Well, I'm sorry I fucking kissed you, but I'm not taking the whole blame for this. You kissed me back, and don't even try to fucking deny it!" he spat at her as he got up off the floor and rubbed the dirt from his butt, "and you know you fucking enjoyed it too... babe!" He glared at her then marched off in the direction of the bike.

Bella stood for a couple of seconds, watching him retreat quickly down the path without looking back at her. Yes, he was right; she had kissed him back, she had enjoyed it, and she was scared to think how much further that kiss could have gone if she hadn't come to her senses as soon as she did.

Being around him was dangerous, and she had let her guard down – something she had warned herself not to do – and so what if she had enjoyed it and kissed him back: she was single! He had a girlfriend, something he seemed to have forgotten. Suddenly, the rage was there again. How dare that asshole turn this around on her? He was in the wrong, big time, and she wasn't going to let it go.

Bella stomped after him, picking up speed to catch up with him.

"You know, I was so wrong about you, Jacob. I thought maybe I'd been a little harsh thinking you were such a jerk after we'd had a nice time today, and maybe... just maybe, you weren't so bad after all. But now... now... you've just confirmed for me that you're exactly who I thought you were to begin with: an egotistical asshole!" She stood glaring at him with her hands on her hips, waiting for him to respond.

But instead of responding, Jacob just stood grinning at her and shaking his head. That infuriated Bella even more, and as she watched him open the wooden gate they'd passed through on the way up, she couldn't stop the fluttering in her stomach or the tingling sensation between her thighs. Jacob waited at the gate, raised an eyebrow, and gestured with a hand for her to pass through.

Bella stomped past him then turned.

"You know, just because we had a good time today, you apologized, and things were cool, it doesn't give you the right to think..." Bella put her fingers in the air to indicate quotation marks and dropped her voice to a low drawl, "Oh, I'm Jacob Black, I have a girlfriend, but hey, that doesn't matter cause I'm so fucking hot, I can just grab any chick I want and make out with her!"

Bella began to walk off towards the bike when she felt Jacob's hand grab her wrist, and he gently spun her around to face him. She expected to see him angry and pissed at her, but he was still grinning.

"Let's get something straight, shall we? I didn't grab you. _This _is grabbing you!" Jacob said, pulling her into him tightly with his other hand on her waist to emphasize his point. Then, bringing his lips down to her ear, he spoke softly, "And I seem to remember that I tripped, and you fell on top of me, and babe, you were in no fucking hurry to get off me, were you?"

She could feel his hot breath against her ear, and she pushed against his chest to get away from him. He loosened his grip slightly but continued.

"You, by the way, are not just any chick. I don't kiss just any chick, and that kiss was just that: a little kiss. If we had fully made out, babe, I don't think you would have been able to fucking stand, let alone walk away from me afterwards! I am, however, Jacob Black, and it's nice to know you think I'm hot..."

Bella gasped and pushed fiercely to get away from him. Jacob let her go, still grinning at her.

"Argh, you're so arrogant! You make me sick!" she shouted at him as he walked over to the bike.

"Yeah, but you still think I'm hot, right?" he said without looking at her.

"You didn't mention your girlfriend, jerk. I wonder what she'd say if she knew you went around kissing other girls."

"I don't make a habit of it! You're the only one it's happened with. But hey, if you want to break it to her, go ahead, babe, but any injuries you sustain will be your own fault," he warned solemnly as he handed her the helmet.

"I wasn't going to tell her." Bella dropped her eyes to the helmet to avoid looking at him. "I think I'll walk back," she said, holding out the helmet to him.

"The hell you will! I've had enough of this shit. It was a kiss, a simple fucking kiss! You act like I forced myself on you and like you've never been kissed before, and we both know that isn't the case. You wanted it as much as I did, and don't even try to say otherwise." He held his hand up to silence her as she was about to protest and continued.

"Yeah, it was wrong. I have a fucking girlfriend, things aren't great between us, and I guess I took advantage of the situation, but like I said, you were on top of me. You could have gotten off at any time and put a stop to it, but you didn't. So get off your high fucking horse, put the helmet on, and get on the fucking bike… now!"

He looked angry and Bella reluctantly put the helmet on.

Jacob didn't attempt to do up the chin strap, and Bella's bravado had suddenly disappeared. She wanted more than anything to feel his fingers brush gently against her chin. Feeling like a child who had just been severely scolded, she fought to stop the tears falling as she rapidly blinked away the stinging sensation in her eyes.

Jacob held out the backpack, and Bella obediently put in on without making eye contact. Again, she so wanted him to help her with it, like before. But there was no warmth now, just a cold, tense atmosphere.

She watched as Jacob threw his leg over the bike and kick-started it.

"Get on and hold tight!" he called to her over the sound of the engine.

Bella climbed on to the back of the bike and put her arms loosely around his waist.

"Tighter!" he said over his shoulder, and Bella tightened her grip.

She leaned forward towards his ear. "I hate you Jacob Black," she said scathingly.

"I don't believe you, Bells!" he responded with a chuckle. Then releasing the throttle they started heading home.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thanks as always to the amazing jkane180 for being my beta! Again I have no excuses, only that I fail miserably at regular updates. I wish I could spend every minute, of every day, writing, but as we all know real life just doesn't make that possible. Thank you all so much for staying with this story and for the amazing reviews. Also thank you to my guest reviewers and for the alerts and faves. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think, as reading your reviews really does give me motivation to find the time to write more. Ali x

All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, I just like playing with them, especially Jacob Black! (if only)

xXx

Jacob couldn't help himself. He squeezed the throttle and pushed the bike to go faster. He'd held back on the way up to the cliff, not wanting to frighten her, but hell, he was all fired up now and needed to feel the speed.

His emotions were all over the place, and trust Little Miss Perfect to be the reason for it. He chuckled at that thought. Little Miss Fucking Perfect, he used to call her that all the time - with as much sarcasm as he could - but now... shit! He meant it, literally. Bella Swan - as far as he was concerned - was the most perfect girl he had ever encountered. Yeah, okay, he knew no body was really perfect, right? But, fuck! Bella was as close as anyone could get.

He grinned when he felt her arms tighten around his waist as the bike picked up speed. She was pissed at him, he knew that, but she still had to hold on, he thought smugly to himself, relishing the feel of her pressed close to him – her arms, her thighs, her whole body – Shit, he really needed to concentrate on riding the damn bike!

As they rounded a corner, he heard her let out a little gasp. Fuck, what was it with this girl? Every touch, look, and sound she made seemed to affect him like no one else had ever done before, and he'd gone and fucking blown it!

Why'd he have to kiss her? Shit, why the fuck? He shook his head slightly. Why'd he have to be so dumb? Everything was going good. They'd had a great time. She'd enjoyed herself, and they'd talked to each other easily. They'd really made progress and were acting like friends. Then he'd let his dick rule his head and gone and blown everything.

It was wrong. Hell, he knew that. He shouldn't have kissed her, but damn... she was there just inches away from him and not making any effort to get up. So he went in for the kill, and holy fuck, she'd kissed him back. No matter how pissed at him she was - and yeah, he could kind of understand why she was pissed - she couldn't deny it. Her tongue had definitely done the tango with his, and she'd whimpered. Yes, she'd fucking whimpered. So no matter how mad she was, or how much protesting, yelling, and feet-stomping she did, she'd enjoyed it. Yes, he knew it was wrong; he shouldn't have kissed her, but he certainly didn't regret it.

But now… damn! Now, he didn't know what the fuck to do! What about Lauren? Shit!

The kiss was fucking amazing, his heart was singing, he couldn't keep the smile off his face when he thought about it, and his dick hadn't really calmed down since it'd happened. But all those things couldn't overcome the enormous sense of guilt he felt.

No matter what people thought of him, Jacob Black was not a cheater. He'd never, ever, cheated on anyone before - not that he'd had many girlfriends - and he hated the whole idea of cheating. So what the fuck had he done? Was it cheating? Surely not. Maybe it was just a little indiscretion and lapse of judgment. But, fuck, he knew that if Bella hadn't gotten all mad and stopped the kiss, he most definitely wouldn't have. Even if it had gone further, if Bella wanted more, he knew that he wouldn't have denied her anything! And Lauren, his girlfriend, hadn't even crossed his mind, until Bella had mentioned her.

Lauren, shit! He didn't love her, and he'd never claimed to love her, but he cared about her, a lot. He felt a certain loyalty to her, and even though lately he wasn't really enjoying what they had, he didn't want to hurt her.

Lauren had moved to La Push from California about eighteen months ago, after her mom had died in a car accident. She had no other family she knew of, so she moved in with her grandparents who lived on the reservation. She was half Quileute on her dad's side, but she hadn't really known her father. He was a bit of a waster and had gotten her mom pregnant but didn't want to settle down. He'd since disappeared, but his parents wanted to take care of their granddaughter, so they'd asked her to live with them.

Lauren's grandparents adored her, and she took full advantage of them, and their hospitality. But of course they felt so awful about the way their son had treated her mother, that they spoiled Lauren rotten. They were good people, just trying to make up for their son's wrong-doing.

When Lauren first came to La Push, most of the guys were mesmerized by her, including Jacob. He was going through a rough stage and was hanging out with a few undesirable characters. He'd dated a few girls, nothing serious, just casual relationships. But he soon realized what an idiot he was being and got reacquainted with his old buddies, particularly Quil and Embry.

Lauren was beautiful. She looked like a model, and dressed really well. Coming from somewhere like California, she stuck out like a sore thumb, and Jacob didn't think he stood any chance with a girl like that. So when Lauren showed an interest in him, he couldn't believe his luck.

But she began to make it obvious that she had no intention of getting to know his friends. She preferred to go into Forks or Port Angeles, and she rarely wanted to spent time in La Push with the rest of the guys. Jacob often felt torn. He didn't want to abandon his friends, but Lauren wanted him, and shit, why would he want to say no to her?

Somehow Lauren had become pretty friendly with a group of rich kids in Forks and often wanted to spend time with them, instead of hanging out with Jacob's friends in La Push.

Jacob didn't particularly like Lauren's friends. They had money and were pretty much just into fashion and gossip – none of which he found interesting – but he'd made the effort to get to know them, for her. He'd hang out with them to please her, and yeah, if Lauren was pleased, then she always liked to show Jacob her appreciation afterwards. But, Jacob had started getting fed up with the dynamics of their relationship. Sure, the sex was good, but really, that was all there was.

Spending time with Bella today had made him realize that maybe, just maybe, there was more to a relationship than just sex, but he was pretty damn sure she wouldn't want anything to do with him anytime soon, although, he hadn't ruled it out completely. He also believed that they'd had a connection, and the more he thought about it, the more certain he was that it had been there all along, right back to when they were kids.

xXx  
>As they pulled up to the little red house, Bella loosened her grip on Jacob's waist. She'd reluctantly held on tight for the whole of the journey – or at least hoped he thought it was reluctantly – but she couldn't deny that she'd enjoyed every minute of it. The ride itself was a little scarier on the way back, and she knew he had gone faster on purpose, trying to frighten her no doubt. Or maybe he was just pissed at her. He had seemed pretty angry when he ordered her to get on the bike. But he'd also chuckled when he said he didn't believe that she hated him. Shit! She wanted to hate him. She really did, but she couldn't. When she thought of him – or more precisely, thought about what had just happened between them – she just felt... Well, she wasn't sure what she felt... The anger had passed as soon as she had put her arms around his waist, after he demanded she hold him tighter. It had been replaced by a warm, tingly feeling that ran through her entire body. She kept telling herself that it was just the vibrations of the bike, and it was the excitement and fear of the ride that was having this affect on her. But who was she kidding? It was him; it was all because of him. Did she hate him? No. But God, she wanted to – for making her feel this way, for making her want him. There! She'd finally admitted it, to herself at least. She wanted him. Shit. And she couldn't have him. As the bike slowed down and Jacob cut the engine, Bella's anger slowly reappeared following her realization. Jacob Black was off limits. Damn it!<p>

Bella quickly let go of Jacob's waist and got off the bike. She fumbled with the chin strap of the helmet, suddenly feeling very self-conscious at how dumb she must have looked wearing it. She tried to undo the strap, all the while avoiding looking at Jacob, but she struggled to make her fingers co-operate with what her brain wanted them to do. She saw in her peripheral that Jacob had put the bike on its stand, and he stood, arms folded across his chest, watching her attempt undoing the strap. She started to feel a little panicked, knowing his eyes were on her watching her ridiculous inability to undo a simple strap on the damn helmet.

She heard him chuckle and just knew he was shaking his head at her.

"Would you like some help, Babe?"

He was leaning against the bike now, arms still folded, but she wouldn't look at his face, and she certainly didn't want his help. She was wound up enough and could feel herself getting more and more flustered under his scrutiny. The last thing she needed right now was to feel his fingers against her skin.

"No, thank you. I don't need your help. You can keep your hands to yourself," she spat as she finally released the strap and hastily removed the helmet.

She chanced a quick look at him now as she brushed some loose tendrils of hair from her face and promptly felt a weakness in her knees, her tummy, and her heart.

His hair was stuck out in all directions and his cheeks were tinged red. The exhilarating bike ride had somehow enhanced Jacob's manly ruggedness – if it were even possible for him to be more manly, or rugged – and Bella could only hope that Jacob couldn't detect the effect his entire presence was having on her.

She roughly slammed the helmet onto the seat of the bike, being careful not to touch Jacob, but winced as the clip on the strap hit the surrounding chrome.

"Hey. Hey! No need to take it out on the bike. If you're pissed at me, then take it out on my body work." He moved to check for any damage and ran his hand over the black paint then looking up and winking at her, he continued, "After all, you can be as rough as you like with me. I don't mind a few scratches here and there. But if you'd scratched my bike..." he drew in a breath and shook his head while rubbing his chin, as though contemplating some kind of punishment, "...I would have had you in my garage... rubbing it out!"

Bella felt the familiar heat in her cheeks, as well as in other parts of her body. He was full of innuendos, and she really didn't know how to respond to him – at least not verbally.

"Well, I didn't scratch your precious bike." She would have felt incredibly guilty if she had, and for a second when she thought she had done some damage, she really did feel bad. But then of course the gorgeous jerk had opened his mouth and got her all hot and flustered again.

She needed to get away from him and turned around to storm back to the house, but suddenly, she felt his hand gently grip her wrist.

She wanted to pull herself free but couldn't because, somehow, something inside her was stopping her from trying to get away, and she found herself turning back around towards him.

"Look, Bella... Bells, I'm sorry. I'm a fucking idiot sometimes. I shouldn't have kissed you. You're right; it was wrong, and I messed up. But we had a good time, right? Before I blew it. You enjoyed yourself, didn't you? I know you did." He was talking quietly, sincerely, and almost pleading with her. The bravado from a few seconds before was now gone, and as he ran a hand through his hair and let out an almost defeated sigh, Bella felt that warm fuzzy feeling begin to invade her entire body again.

"Yes, Jacob, I did have a good time. It was beautiful, and I really did enjoy myself... up to a point." He had let go of her wrist, and she wrapped her arms around herself protectively. She wanted to sound strong and determined and lifted her chin as she continued to speak. "I don't think we should do this again. In fact, I think we should just avoid each other, period."

As she said the words, a heavy sinking feeling descended over her, but she knew it had to be done. Yes, she felt something for him, she wasn't sure what, but what was the point of admitting it, or hoping for something to happen, when he just wasn't available?

Jacob continued to watch her intently and appeared to be hanging on to her every word.

"You surprised me today, Jacob, and I don't mean when you kissed me. I saw a different side to you, and I've realized that although you come across as a complete jerk most of the time, there's a nice guy in there somewhere. So, mission accomplished. I had fun, you apologized for the past, and I'll admit, you're an okay kind of guy, when you're not being a complete ass. But I'm not going to be made to look like a fool, and I certainly don't want to be dragged into the middle of your love life. So please, Jacob, let's just forget this happened, and go back to how we were before." She finished with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Are you serious? So you want us to just... avoid each other? Completely?" he asked quietly with a frown.

Bella couldn't read his expression, but for a fleeting second, she thought she saw a very vulnerable young man staring back at her and realized she needed to get back in the house, away from him, before she weakened and changed her mind.

"I think it's for the best." She avoided looking at him and slowly turned her back on him.

"It'll be pretty difficult avoiding each other while we're living in the same house."

"If we both make an effort, I'm sure we'll manage," she said over her shoulder and started walking towards the house.

"Bella, stop!"

She turned to face him, and with three long strides, he'd reached her again. "What if I wasn't with Lauren? What if I was single? Would you have given me a chance?"

Bella's heart was racing as she gazed up into his hopeful eyes.

"It's irrelevant, Jacob. You _are _with Lauren. Now, please, just leave me alone." She quickly turned and ran to the front door, hoping that Jacob hadn't noticed how her eyes were beginning to fill with tears.

"If that's what you want, Bells. If that's really what you want. Then I'll leave you alone..." he shouted after her.

"Thank you, Jake... Err, Jacob, that's exactly what I want," she called back as she hastily wiped her eyes and opened the front door.

As she entered the house, she was relieved to see that Billy was nowhere in sight and Sarah was busy in the kitchen. As Bella walked towards her room, Sarah turned and asked her if she'd had a good time.

"Yes, thank you, it was lovely. Jacob took me up to the old hiking trail, and we saw some whales and had lunch. It was amazing and very beautiful." Bella didn't know how she was able to talk to Sarah after being so flustered a few moments before, but Sarah had such a calming way about her Bella immediately felt more relaxed and couldn't help feeling wistful as she told Sarah what they'd done.

"I'll just go and clean myself up a bit. Then I'll give you a hand here," Bella offered, but Sarah wouldn't hear of it and told Bella to go and relax.

After checking that Sarah really didn't need any help, Bella headed to her room.

She closed the bedroom door behind her and let out a loud sigh. Her mind was racing with thoughts of Jacob. When wasn't it these days? Would she ever be free of him? He'd always plagued her mind when they were kids with the constant teasing and being mean to her, and now he was there again, still teasing her, but in a different way. When would he stop tormenting her? It certainly wouldn't be while they were living under the same roof. That was for sure.

She shrugged the leather jacket off her shoulders – she'd completely forgotten she even had it on – and without really thinking, held the material to her nose, inhaling the masculine cologne that still lingered, mixed with the leather.

"Oh, Jacob, what are you doing to me?" she whispered against the jacket, feeling the supple leather caress her lips as they moved.

"Why did you have to be so damn nice? You're a jerk, remember? At least when you were being a jerk I could just ignore you, but now you've gone and complicated things. Shit! I don't want to like you, you asshole!" She threw the jacket on the bed in a fit of rage.

Then she stood staring at it, and with her hands on her hips, she giggled to herself. Maybe if she moved the jacket onto her pillow and left it for the rest of the day, it would leave that gorgeous smell on the linen, and she could fall asleep pretending he'd lay there.

Her hands quickly covered her mouth as she stifled a shocked gasp. Jacob Black was literally making her crazy. She was not only talking to herself – well, to his leather jacket to be more precise – but she was having thoughts of him in her bed.

She quickly snatched up the jacket and threw it over the chair in the corner of the room. Glaring at the offending article and resisting the urge to pick it back up and smell it again – she was definitely losing her mind – Bella sat on the edge of the bed and fished her cell phone out of her pocket.

She glanced at the screen, checking for any missed calls or text messages. Seeing that she hadn't received any, her thoughts turned to Paul. He'd he would call her sometime, and although at the time she was quite excited at the thought of going on a date with him, now she wasn't so sure.

She'd always liked him, and had a thing for him, but now, after today, she wasn't sure what she wanted. Maybe it would be good to go on a date with Paul – that's if he called, of course – it would take her mind off Jacob, and maybe she and Paul would really hit it off. But was Jacob right about Paul? Maybe she would just be a bit of fun to him and nothing more. Did she want to be more though? Or should she just go into it looking for some fun too?

She looked over at the mirror and caught her own reflection staring back at her, cheeks flushed and her brown eyes wide in shock.

"Oh, Bella, now you're thinking like a slut. You know what kind of fun Paul would have in mind!" She shook her head shamefully and fell back against the mattress.

She lay her arm across her forehead and closed her eyes. "Yeah, I know exactly what kind of fun Paul would want," she whispered again, "but I wonder what it would be like to have fun with Jacob…" She rolled over, buried her head in the comforter, and mumbled, "Oh, God, I did _not_just say that. Shit, shit, shit!"

xXx

After rolling the bike back into the garage, Jacob slowly walked back to the house.

So she thought it was best if they avoid each other, did she? Well, he could do that. He'd easily avoided her before, but that was when he thought she was the most annoying fucking girl on the planet. Now, he had to admit, he had a bit of a soft spot for Bella Swan. In fact, having a bit of a soft spot for her was a fucking understatement – and what he felt for her caused a big hard spot at his crotch, but he wouldn't think of that now – and he wasn't sure that avoiding her would be such an easy task after all.

And what was he going to do about Lauren? He'd already half decided that he was going to break up with her, but did he really want to? It was cool having a girlfriend and being in a relationship, and did he really want to be single? If he was going to be completely honest with himself, he was hoping that if he was single, then maybe Bella would give him a chance. But it was a gamble. Bella might not want anything to do with him. Fuck, sometimes he thought she hated him, but today opened his eyes. The little mousy bookworm, Little Miss Perfect, was easy to talk to, could give as good as she got, and was absolutely beautiful to boot, inside and out. Today had made Jacob seriously re-evaluate his relationship with Lauren, and it would be unfair to both of them for him to stay with her just because he didn't want to be single. Their relationship had been fun to begin with, and it certainly had its benefits, but now he wanted more, and he was sure that Lauren wasn't the girl to give it to him.

Jacob walked through the door and hung up his jacket. Instead of heading straight to his room, he sat down on the couch and ran his hands through his hair. Things had certainly gotten a little messy now. When would he break the news to Lauren?

He decided he'd call her now and arrange to meet her later this evening, after dinner. He'd have to do it face to face. He couldn't be a complete douche and break up with her over the phone, although, that would definitely be a damn sight easier.

Jacob stood up to head towards his bedroom and spotted his mom in the kitchen. He hadn't seen her when he'd first walked in, and he wondered if she'd seen him sit on the couch, but she didn't say anything.

Jacob picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and stood next to Sarah as she peeled some potatoes.

He watched her hands as they worked quickly. He looked at his own hands and turned the apple around and around.

"Are you okay, son?" Sarah asked gently without stopping what she was doing.

Jacob sighed, placed the apple back into the bowl, and leaned against the counter top. "I'm thinking of coming to the next council meeting... if I'm allowed."

Sarah stopped what she was doing and glanced up at her son.

"I'm sure the council would be pleased to see you at the next meeting, your dad especially..." she continued working on the potato, "...you really should speak to him, Jacob."

"Yeah, I will." Jacob slowly pushed away from the counter. He had to make the call to Lauren, and although he was reluctant, it had to be done.

"I'm glad you're making an effort with Bella." Sarah didn't look up, but Jacob stopped in his tracks.

"She told me you took her up to the old hiking trail. She said it was beautiful and that she'd had an amazing time." Sarah smiled as she began cutting the potatoes and popping them in a pan of water.

"She told you that?" Jacob asked, trying to hide his surprise.

"She did..." Sarah glanced over her shoulder and gave a small chuckle, "I have to agree, it really is beautiful up there. I remember when your dad and I used to go and sit up there for hours, just talking and thinking. That place is where we really got to know each other..." Sarah turned to stare out of the window, lost in her memories "...that wonderful place is where your father and I fell in love."

"Err... okay, that's really nice, Mom. I'm gonna go make a call now, okay?"

Jacob could hear Sarah's soft laugh as he made a quick escape from the kitchen. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he dialed Lauren's number as he closed the bedroom door behind him.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks as always to the amazing jkane180 for being my beta, and thanks for all the reviews, alerts and faves. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. I have changed it slightly. I initially didn't have any dialogue to emphasize Jake and Bella's non-verbal relationship. Now that they are speaking, I have decided to open up the dialogue with other characters too. I hope that's okay with you all. Also a little warning… there is angst in this story and that was always my intention, it's not here yet, but will be coming up, so things will not run entirely smoothly for our fave couple. That being said, this is a Jake and Bella story, you'll just have to be a little patient.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and as you know, all characters belong to Stephanie Meyer!

xXx

Bella helped Sarah set the table for dinner and dish out the food. They chatted happily between them while Jacob stayed in his room.

Billy had gotten home about an hour after Jacob and Bella and had promptly sat in his chair with his newspaper, reading the sports pages.

Just before it was time to eat, Bella quickly went back to her room and stood with her back against the closed door, trying to compose herself. Would Jacob have dinner with them tonight? Her heart was racing at the thought of seeing him, which was insane. She seriously needed to stop freaking out about him.

"Jeez, get a grip, girl! This is ridiculous," she whispered as she walked over to the mirror to check her reflection.

She shook her head, and with a quick glance at the leather jacket laying acoss the chair, and a deep sigh, she walked back to the door and opened it.

Just at that moment, the bedroom door opposite hers opened, and Jacob stepped out into the hallway.

Bella jumped slightly and let out a small gasp, but thankfully, Jacob didn't seem to notice. In fact, as they looked at each other, Bella spotted that he seemed a little pre-occupied. Jacob waved his hand nonchalantly in front of them, motioning for Bella to go first.

He didn't speak and neither did she, but Bella couldn't help noticing that he looked pretty pale and wondered if he was sick. Not that she was worried, of course. If he was sick then the arrogant jerk deserved it, but she wouldn't want him to be really sick. She wouldn't want anyone to get really sick.

She was lost in her thoughts as they sat at the table, automatically going to their usual places and ignoring each other completely – which was nothing unusual – they always ignored each other at dinner anyway, and most other times too.

Sarah and Billy talked happily as they all started eating. They cleverly engaged Bella and Jacob in their conversation in such a way that the two teenagers didn't actually have to talk to each other. So dinner passed quite pleasantly, and Bella was relieved that neither Sarah nor Billy mentioned the trip she and Jacob had taken earlier today. She really didn't want to be reminded of what a lovely time they'd had and then their subsequent fallout. Bella quickly thrust those thoughts to the back of her mind. She certainly didn't want to think about what had caused their fallout, as it could lead to her embarrassing herself by choking on her food. So she changed her thought direction and continued to eat safely.

After dinner Bella began to clear the table and took the dirty dishes into the kitchen. Sarah came over and filled the sink with water to make a start on washing up. Bella picked up a towel beside her, ready to dry what-ever came her way.

"Hey, Mom, I'll do that. You go sit down." Jacob came over to the sink and, turning his mom gently around by the shoulders, started walking her towards the living room.

Sarah smiled and raised a surprised eyebrow at Bella. "Thank you, son. Just don't go breaking anything with those big ole paws of yours, okay?"

"As if I would..." Jacob chuckled, then gently kissing his moms cheek, he continued, "...you know I can be a real gentle giant when I want to be, especially when these big ole paws land on something particularly delicate and fragile." He gave his mom a wink and pushed her gently towards the living room. Bella ducked her head as Sarah glanced over her shoulder and caught her eye.

"Mmm that may well be, but be careful, son. You can be pretty heavy handed at times too!" Wiping her own hands on her apron, Sarah walked into the living room.

Jacob turned back to Bella and leaned against the counter.

"So, do you wanna wash or dry?" he asked, looking at her with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Her stomach did a flip as she looked up at him and saw his cocky expression.

"Since you're asking, I'll wash. Here!" She shoved the towel at his chest and quickly switched sides, so she was now standing at the sink, though Jacob moved a hell of a lot slower, so she had to stand back a little to avoid bumping into him.

"You know, this isn't avoiding each other, Jacob," she said quietly so Sarah and Billy wouldn't hear her from where they were sitting in the living room.

"Yeah, I know. I did try telling you it wouldn't be easy living in the same house," he replied quietly, leaning towards her slightly with his usual air of arrogance.

"You also said you'd leave me alone," she hissed at him, getting a little annoyed at his attitude.

"I'm helping my mom, Bella. Should I call her back in here and get her to dry the dishes?" He turned towards the living room and, in a mocking voice, whispered a little too loudly for Bella's liking, "Hey, Mom, Bella's having a tantrum and won't do the dishes with me. I'm really sorry, but you'll have to come back out here and do them yourself!" He then turned back to Bella, stuck out his bottom lip, and pulled a ridiculous sad pouty face.

Bella quickly looked over her shoulder to make sure Sarah hadn't heard him while struggling to keep the smile off her face. After all, the face he pulled was pretty cute, and funny, but the last thing she wanted was for him to know she thought that.

"You're a jerk, you know that, right?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head as he grinned at her.

Jacob suddenly leaned in close to Bella's ear and drawled, "So you keep telling me... babe!" Bella was startled as his hot breath fanned against her ear, and she just managed to keep a grip on the dish she was holding.

"Oh for god's sake, Jake, I almost dropped the damn dish!" she spat at him while he stood chuckling at her.

"Wow, is that really the affect I have on you, Bells?" he asked smugly. She realized then that she had called him Jake instead of Jacob and could have kicked herself for the slip-up.

"If you come that close to me again, I swear I'll smash the damn dish over your arrogant big head!" she almost yelled at him, but still managed to keep her voice low.

They both glanced over the counter top, into the living room, and although Sarah and Billy seemed to be engrossed in some show that was on TV, Bella was certain she saw them both trying to hold back a little laughter. But without knowing exactly what they were watching, she couldn't be certain whether it was the TV show or the antics going on in their kitchen that they found so amusing.

"Let's just get this done as quickly as possible, shall we?" She turned back to the sink with an exasperated sigh.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Bells." Bella almost dropped the dish again when Jacob winked at her, but she disguised it well, even though her insides were melting all over again.

They continued to stand together washing and drying the dishes, pots, and pans in silence. Each time Bella finished washing something, Jacob was ready to receive it from her hands. She made a conscious effort to avoid any contact between them - she knew that just one touch from him would make her a quivering wreck - but she couldn't resist discreetly glancing at him every now and again to see his big, tan hands gently caressing the object he was drying.

Bella inwardly cursed herself. How on earth could she find Jacob drying the dishes such a turn on? Maybe it was just the idea of this arrogant asshole being domesticated in any small way. It certainly wasn't anything to do with what else those big tan hands could gently caress, she reasoned with herself.

She could hear Billy's snickers from the living room, and it just seemed to emphasize the silence that had descended upon the kitchen.

Bella handed Jacob the last pan, then started wiping down the kitchen surfaces. She purposely took her time. One minute she wanted to be away from him, she couldn't bear to share the confined space of the small kitchen with him, but now that she had finished washing up - if she was to be completely honest with herself - she wanted to spend just a little more time with him. She was curious to see if he would tease her anymore.

She looked back over her shoulder and saw him lifting the plates he had stacked on the side into the cupboard. They were the last things to be put away, and she expected him to leave the kitchen as soon as he was done.

She was caught up in watching his plaid shirt pull across his back as he reached up to put the dishes away. Her eyes couldn't stop their descent as his shirt rode up, leaving his tight butt on display. He was wearing his dark blue jeans - they weren't as tight as the black skinny ones he often wore - but damn, they still hugged his backside and thighs in all the right places.

Suddenly, Jacob turned, and from the way he looked at her with a raised eyebrow, she knew she'd been caught looking at him.

She felt the heat invading her cheeks as he picked up the towel he'd been using and hung it over a rack to dry.

To her surprise and relief, he didn't say anything. He just stood back against the counter top with his arms folded, watching her.

Watching her the same way she had been watching him a few seconds before.

She could feel the mounting tension, and her heart raced in her chest, knowing that she was now under his scrutiny. But who was she to complain about what he was doing, when she had been just as guilty of the same crime?

The silence was deafening, and before she had a chance to really think about was she was going to say, she walked back to the sink and opened her mouth.

"I still have your jacket. I'll go get it for you in minute." She busied herself with letting the water out and wringing the dishcloth to avoid looking at him.

"Don't worry about it. You might as well keep it. It doesn't fit me anymore." He didn't move, just watched her intently.

"Maybe you could give it to your girlfriend?" She just couldn't resist, and the words were out before she could stop them.

She bit her lip as Jacob looked away from her. He leaned back on his elbows, looked down at his boots, and let out a deep a sigh.

"I doubt she'll want anything from me after tonight..." Before Bella could ask what he meant, he continued with another sigh, "Just keep it, Bella. Keep it as something to remember me by."

A sudden panic overcame her, and she quickly looked at him while trying to keep the worry off her face.

"What do you mean? Are you going away? Why would I need something to remember you by?"

She may have succeeded in keeping the panic from her face, but she couldn't quite keep her voice even.

"I'm not going anywhere, but you wanted me to leave you alone, right? So I will. I just wanted to have one last tease tonight, but that's it, Bella. You obviously don't want me anywhere near you, so I'm giving you what you want. I'm giving you plenty of space. If it works, you'll hardly see me for the rest of your stay."

"But how? I mean... you said yourself it'll be hard to avoid each other living in the same house." She really was panicking now. But why? He was right: this was what she wanted. So why the hell did she suddenly feel a heavy weight across her chest?

Jacob came to stand in front of her, and holding her shoulders gently he leaned down slightly to look her in the eye.

"Look, Bella, I'm gonna show you I'm not the jerk you think I am. Avoiding each other won't be that hard... We managed it last week, right?"

Last week... Had it really been just a week that she'd been staying here? A week where she'd ridden a huge emotional roller coaster. She had weeks left, months even. Charlie's transfer was for six months. The timescale on the house renovation wasn't so certain - although Charlie didn't seem to think it would take the entirety of the transfer, maybe three months, four tops.

How could they seriously avoid each for twelve or more weeks? And could she really bear to not see Jacob for that long?

She bit her lip nervously as that last question registered in her head.

"Maybe I was being a little dramatic, Jacob. I mean... It's a long time for us to really try to avoid each other..."

"Hey... Like I said, I'll show you I can do it. I'm gonna keep out of your way, for as long as it takes. Exactly like you wanted, right?" He raised his brow as if to emphasize that this was indeed her idea. It was what she asked for after all.

Jacob let go of her shoulders with a quick shout of goodbye to his parents and a quiet, "I'll see you around, Bells... or maybe not!" He grabbed his jacket off the coat hook and was out of the door before Bella could utter a response.

xXx

He had to get out if there and quick. If he had stayed a minute longer, he would have kissed her again... Fuck! The way she bit her lip… That worried look on her face... Maybe it was wishful thinking, but Jacob was certain that Bella didn't want this 'avoiding-each-other' crap any more than he did. But he'd go along with it because she seemed to think it was what she wanted.

Reverse psychology. That's what Embry called it when he was trying to get with Leah. Leah didn't want any of it – at least she didn't want any of it with Embry – until he'd stopped following her around and asking her out, that is. It hadn't taken long for her to start paying him some attention once he started ignoring her. After that, it was like a complete role reversal. She couldn't keep her hands off him, and Embry couldn't keep the smile off his face.

It was a gamble, sure. It was highly possible that Bella really did hate him and would want nothing more to do with him, but from what he'd seen so far, he was beginning to think Bella liked him a hell of a lot more than she was willing to let on. Of course, he could have it completely wrong, but at least this way he'd find out, without pushing her too hard, and if she ended up just liking him as a friend, then he'd be okay with that. It was definitely a risk worth taking.

Jacob opened up his car door and jumped in. He took a deep breath as he started the engine.

He had to stop thinking about Bella, for tonight at least. He'd called Lauren earlier and arranged to meet her after dinner. She'd been a bit pissed that he hadn't called her first thing, but he made some excuse that he'd slept in 'cause he still felt a bit rough, but he went on to explain that he needed to talk to her. So he said he'd pick her up straight after dinner.

He was nervous as he pulled out onto the road and made his way to Lauren's house. It wouldn't take him long to get there, so it didn't give him a great deal of thinking time. He knew he was going to break up with her, but hadn't thought anything else through.

Should he take her somewhere? The beach maybe? Or should he just tell her in the car and not go anywhere? Shit! Why didn't he have this planned out already?

"Fuck! Maybe because you were too busy flirting with Bella!" he answered his own question, shaking his head and hitting his hand against the steering wheel.

As he approached Lauren's house, he decided he'd just go with it, see what kind of mood she was in, and try to tell her that it was over as soon as he could.

She was already waiting at the door as he pulled up to the curb. She was wearing her skinny jeans and strappy heels with a tight, low cut top, which showed off her big boobs. She had her hair pulled back in a harsh ponytail, and her make-up was perfect.

Jacob couldn't deny it: Lauren was beautiful, but that was all there was to her. Well, that was all Jacob could see these days.

There was a time when he was just so dazzled by her looks that he would have done anything for her, but as he'd gotten to know her, the looks didn't seem so important anymore. Jacob realized that their relationship was based purely on their physical attributes - she was always telling him how hot he was too - and of course, the sex.

Obviously that was good. He was eighteen years old and was getting it literally, as often and whenever he wanted. Lauren was usually more than willing, unless she was pissed at him for some reason, but usually she wanted it as much as he did. Without a doubt, he was going to miss that side of things and thought for a second that maybe he was crazy to want to give that up. But since spending just a small amount of time with Bella, he'd realized that there could be a lot more than just physical shit in a relationship, and he wanted some of that other stuff too.

Lauren opened the passenger side door and slipped into the seat beside him.

"Hey, baby," she purred as she leaned over to kiss him. Jacob turned his head slightly so her lips landed on the corner on his mouth.

She put her hand on his knee, leaned over seductively, and slowly began to work it up his thigh.

"Alice invited us over for a movie night. Emmet, Eddy, Jazz, and, Rose are gonna be there and they're staying over for the night. They're gonna skip school tomorrow. Baby, we could too and spend the whole day doing lots of other fun stuff."

Jacob swallowed as he figured where her freshly manicured fingers were headed. He quickly covered her hand with his, stopping her from moving it any further up his leg.

"Lauren, we really need to talk," he said quietly as he took her hand in his and turned to face her.

"Okay, baby, talk to me. I'm listening." She turned towards him, smiling sweetly.

Jacob took a deep breath and swallowed nervously. "I care about you, Lauren... I really do..." He faltered a little and realized just how cheesy he sounded.

"But?" Lauren asked, taking her hand out of his and placing it in her own lap.

"...I don't think we should see each other anymore." He breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"And why don't you think we should see each other anymore?" she asked him coolly, while inspecting her nails.

"I want to concentrate on some other things. What we've had has been great, but I wanna start doing things differently. I'm gonna start going to the council meetings and..." He was thinking on the spot. Again, he hadn't really thought this through very well. "I graduate soon and I'm thinking of maybe going to college and doing a course in mechanics... I'm not sure, but I want to take some time out to think about what I want to do with my future, you know?"

"And how does seeing me stop you from doing that?" she asked, brushing a piece of hair from her face.

"I'm not sure. I just think I need some time by myself and... maybe I need to spend some more time on the Res with my dad..." He took a big breath as she watched him trying to explain himself. "It sounds stupid, but I kind of want to face up to my responsibilities... I'm gonna be chief one day."

He could see Lauren trying to hold back her laughter but she failed and let out an unladylike snort. "Fuck me, Jake, really? I can just see you doing some stupid rain dance in your feathered head-dress. Are you gonna go hunt for buffalo with your bow and arrow, too?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. He should have guessed what her reaction would be. This was exactly the kind of thing he should have expected from her.

"That's just so typical of you, Lauren. We don't talk. We can't talk. All we do is fuck!" He spat at her angrily.

"I never heard you complaining about it before, and from what I remember, Jake, talking was the last thing on your mind most of the time!" she replied harshly.

"Look, I know... I've been a complete asshole. I know that, but I want to change. I want to start taking things seriously, and I want someone to discuss it with. Someone I can share my thoughts with and talk to. Not just someone to have sex with. I'm not blaming you. Fuck, I've been an idiot, but I really need to grow the hell up, and I don't want _this _anymore, Lauren." He waved his hand between them. "I'm sorry..."

Lauren suddenly spun around in her seat and glared at him. "Oh my fucking god! It's her, isn't it? You want that little bitch, don't you?" She let out a shrill laugh as she covered her face with her hands. "I'm so fucking stupid, and you're a damn liar!"

Jacob sighed loudly. "This isn't about Bella. She has nothing to do this."

"Oh, really? Well, that's the first time I've heard you say her name. What happened to all the horrible names you used to call her, huh?"

Jacob was just about to interrupt her, but Lauren continued.

"One minute you're saying you need some time on your own, and then you're saying you want to be with someone you can talk to. What the hell do you want, Jake? Do you think just 'cause she reads a few books she'd be happy listen to your crap? Although, I guess that's all you'd be doing 'cause I don't think for one second she'd let you get anywhere near her little virgin ass!"

Jacob took a deep calming breath. He wanted to just finish this and go, but he knew Lauren wouldn't make it easy. He wanted to keep his temper in check. He really didn't want to fight.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy. I need time on my own to figure out where my life is headed. Then, if and when I do hook up with someone, I want to be able to talk to her... share my ideas and hopes for the future with her, without her laughing in my face or wishing she was out shopping at the Mall instead." He tried to keep his voice calm and even. " And you can say what you want about Bella, but this is just about me and you... It's over, Lauren. I'm sorry."

Lauren sat back in the seat, staring at him and shaking her head. Then she turned and opened the door. She quickly got out, but before closing the door, she turned to lean in.

"Well, fuck you, Jacob, and fuck Bella Swan! Don't come crawling back to me when you can't get in her panties!" she shouted at him, "I know exactly where my life is headed. As soon as I've saved enough, I'm going back to Cali, and I'm gonna be a model or an actress, and you'll be stuck in this shit hole for the rest of your boring fucking life! Enjoy it, asshole!"

Jacob winced as the car shook from the force of Lauren slamming the door.

He couldn't really blame her for being angry, and he let out a sigh of relief as he saw her stomp up the path towards her front door.

Wanting to get out of there as quickly as he could, Jacob started up the engine and pulled away.

He headed towards Quil's place. Maybe he could talk to him about it all. Quil acted like a fool most of the time, but he was a good buddy. So was Embry, but Embry was with Leah, and since Leah and Bella we're pretty friendly, he didn't want Bella finding out about him and Lauren just yet.

He certainly didn't expect Bella to fall into his arms as soon as she found out about his and Lauren's break-up - even though he quite liked that idea - but he didn't want her to think that she was the reason for the break-up. He decided he would do like he said he would, and back off.

He thought about what he said to Lauren and felt a little shitty. He said it had nothing to do with Bella, but of course it did. He had feelings for Bella. He wasn't sure exactly how deep those feelings were, but he wanted to prove to her that he wasn't a complete asshole. It was Bella who had suggested him going to the council meetings too. She had helped him look at things differently.

So, he was serious about taking responsibility, and he not only wanted to prove it to Bella, but to his parents and, more importantly, to himself.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N I am so, so, sorry! What more can I say? Thank you so much if you're still with me on this story... I certainly don't deserve you! This chapter hasn't been beta'd so I apologise for any errors, especially as I'm a bit rusty. I hope this is okay and you enjoy it. As always I'd appreciate any feedback. Ali

All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer... But Jacob's mine! (In my dreams)

It had been three days. Three long days since they'd spoken in the kitchen and he said he'd leave her alone, and sure enough, he'd stayed true to his word.

It was fine when she was at school. Bella threw herself into her school work and was able to avoid thinking about Jacob, but all other times were useless. Any spare time she had was spent reliving every teasing comment and conversation they had ever had, or trying desperately hard to forget how good Jacob's lips felt on hers when he'd kissed on the hiking trail.

She'd hardly seen him in the past three days. She'd heard him rummaging around in his bedroom, listening to his music, and sometimes she'd hear him talking to his mum and dad; his deep voice reverberating through the house, but as soon as she made an appearance he would quickly head out the front door or go to his room. Obviously eager to fulfill his promise of leaving her alone. It was ridiculous, especially when every time she saw him retreating she desperately wanted to call out to him and tell him to just come back. This was his house after all.

It had only been three days. How in the hell could this go on for the rest of her stay?

Bella was sat reading in her room on the Wednesday evening when her cell phone rang. Looking at the display her stomach suddenly flipped. It was Paul. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts of Jacob that she'd completely forgotten they'd exchanged numbers and he was going to call her.

"Hello." She answered tentatively.

"Hey, Bella. I hope you don't mind me calling, but I was wondering if you still wanted to go out sometime?"

Bella bit her bottom lip nervously, wondering what to say. Did she want to go out - on a date - with Paul? Wouldn't it just complicate things with Jacob? Wait! There was nothing going on with Jacob, so why would it complicate things? She liked Paul, she'd even had a crush on him when she was younger. He was funny, handsome and had been very sweet when he'd walked her home from the beach. Okay, so he had a reputation, but as long as she was careful, what harm would it do?

"Er, yeah of course." She tried to sound eager, but failed. Maybe that was a good thing though, with Paul's reputation she wouldn't want to sound too eager to go out with him.

As Paul continued to speak, she shook her head and rolled her eyes at herself for over analyzing everything.

"Great! Well, how about I pick you up Friday night at six?" Bella couldn't fault to detect the eagerness in Paul's voice and her stomach clenched at it.

"Six, should be good. Where are we going?" She didn't know what type of stuff Paul was in to, but wanted an idea of what they'd be doing so she could at least dress appropriately.

"Do you like Mexican food?" He asked.

"Sure, I love Mexican food." Her mouth watered at the thought, she really did love it.

"Well, there's a great little Mexican restaurant in Port Angeles, it's a bit of a drive, but so worth it... and then we'll just go with the flow, maybe see a movie or go for a walk. Whatever, you feel like doing."

"Okay, that sounds great... I'll look forward to it." And a part of her was looking forward to it. She really needed a distraction.

"Great! See you Friday at six... Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Paul."

Bella stared at her phone. She was going on a date with the infamous Paul Lahote. A nervous fluttering ran through her stomach as she bounced back on her bed and threw her arms over her face.

"Oh god, Bella, what the hell are you doing?" She asked herself quietly.

xXx  
>Jacob was finding it pretty easy to avoid her. He'd always seemed to have a sixth sense where Bella was concerned, so it just aided him in keeping away from her.<p>

Yeah it was easy, but it was still torture. He'd got a glimpse of her face a few times as he darted out of the door or passed her quickly on the way to his room, and - unless he was mistaken - she certainly seemed to be paying a bit more attention to him than she had done before. He was sure she'd even tried to make eye contact a couple of times or was just about to say something to him, but he quickly looked the other way and disappeared to wherever he was heading.

The worse though, was when he knew she was in her room. He could only imagine what she was doing, and he had a pretty vivid imagination. Whenever he could hear her, he thought of her getting undressed. He'd hear her music and think of her laying across her bed - most likely naked or wearing next to nothing - wiggling her hips and singing along to the songs. Yeah, it was safe to say, Jacob's imagination wasn't helping him one little bit. It was for the best that he just get out. Go out to his garage and work on the bikes or his car. Anything to just keep away from her. He had made a promise to Bella, and for once he wasn't going to be a complete ass and fuck it up.

He had - kind of - explained as much to Quil on Sunday night, after he'd broken up with Lauren.

He hadn't told Quil everything - he'd conveniently left out how he felt about Bella - but he had told him about the break-up with Lauren. He'd also told him how he'd been a complete dick to Bella over the years and was going to lay off being a jerk.

Jacob saw the knowing look on his friend's face. He also saw the slight curl in Quil's upper lip, hinting at the grin he was suppressing, but Jacob chose to ignore them both.

Quil had slapped Jacob on the back in his attempt at consoling his buddy over the break-up, and added that it was a shame that Jake and Lauren hadn't worked out.

Jacob couldn't help the quizzical look he gave Quil. He knew that none of the guys really liked Lauren and would most probably be at least a little happy that he'd broken up with her.

Quil saw the question in Jacob's eyes.  
>"Okay, okay... look Jake, I truly am sorry that it didn't work out, but honestly? She was good to look at, but hard work, man!" Quil shook his head at his admission. "We tried. All of us really tried talking to her and welcoming her to the group, but she wasn't having any of it. You seemed pretty taken with her and we just wanted you to be happy." Quil shrugged his shoulders apologetically, "But I have to say Jake, it'll be great to have you back. We missed you, man!" he added affectionately punching Jacob in the arm.<p>

"Hey, I didn't go anywhere, you know?" Jake retaliated with a playful shove.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but..." Quil threw his hands up in mock surrender, "...I'm not saying for one second that you were pussy whipped, Jake, or anything like that, but we really didn't see much of you while you were with her."

Jacob nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"I know man, and I'm sorry about that. What more can I say?"

Jacob thrust his hands in his jean pockets and focused his gaze on the rug in Quil's living room, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed about putting Lauren above his best friends.

"Forget it Jake. Like I said, we're just glad to have you back."

"Yeah, about that. Look, I was kind of hoping you wouldn't mention about me and Lauren to any of the other guys - just yet."

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck. Quil was a good buddy, and if Jake asked him not to mention it, he was pretty damn sure Quil would keep quiet, but he still felt a bit bad asking him to keep it from the rest of the guys. Also, he hadn't thought about the reason he'd give Quil for keeping it on the down low. He couldn't very well tell him it was so the news wouldn't get back to Bella.

"Sure, Jake. You know me, the soul of discretion. I won't say a word."

Thankfully Quil didn't ask questions as to why Jacob didn't want the others to know. Maybe he thought Jake just needed some time to get over the break-up, which was fine by Jacob.

He obviously wasn't devastated by what had transpired between Lauren and himself, but of course he did feel a little sad. He cared about her. Yeah,  
>he never loved her, and realized soon into the relationship that it was unlikely that he'd ever actually 'love' Lauren, but they'd had some fun times. Some pretty damn hot times too... and there was definitely going to be a few aspects of the relationship he was gonna miss. But ultimately, he knew he'd done the right thing. Regardless of how he felt about Bella or whether anything would ever actually come of 'him and Bella', it would have been unfair and just wrong to carry on having a proper relationship with Lauren, when he was spending a hell of a lot of time thinking about another girl.<p>

xXx  
>Friday came way faster than Bella could cope with, and to say she was a nervous a wreck was an understatement, but that was normal, right? Any girl who was due to go on a date would be a nervous wreck, wouldn't they? Especially a date with the Paul Lohote!<p>

She was sat on her bed, wrapped in a towel, with an hour left before Paul was due to pick her up. She'd been through her closet a number of times and still hadn't decided what to wear, which was ridiculous, as she hardly had any clothes in it. Bella wasn't a huge follower of fashion at the best of times - throw in the fact that most of her better outfits were in storage - what small amount of clothes she did bring with her consisted of jeans, a couple of hoodies, a few shirts and more jeans.

She'd glared at her cell phone contemplating whether to call Paul and say she had come down with some kind of virus. She was certain she could attribute the sweaty palms, racing pulse and unsettled stomach to a rare case of Lohote-itis?

Bella shook her head at her own stupidity. If there was any kind of illness she was suffering from, surely it would be a longterm case of Black-itis, since, in truth, she'd always had these symptoms whenever he was near. It just so happened that today, the symptoms were caused by a different member of the male species.

Bella sighed, and combing her fingers through her damp hair, she stood up and walked back over to the closet. She'd go with jeans - as if she had a choice - and picked out a fitted red button up shirt. It was smart, casual and most importantly not too sexy. She certainly didn't want to be giving Paul ideas. As she pulled the shirt from the closet her hand brushed against the soft leather of Jacob's jacket. She tried not to breath in the masculine smell which still lingered. It was subtle, but it was still unmistakably there. She'd decided to hang the jacket up. Seeing it over the chair all the time was such a distraction and it just seem to be taunting her. Reminding her of everything that had happened between them, especially the good things, like their trip, the whales, the flirting, the kiss, and ultimately the sweeter side of Jacob. She really didn't want to be reminded of those things, especially now that he was avoiding her. 'Out of sight, out of mind,' she'd thought, but no matter how much she tried, he was still there, very much at the forefront of everything.

As Bella reached out to stroke the jacket again, she suddenly jumped at the sound of her cell phone ringing. The thought that it could be Paul calling off their date quickly entered her head as she made her way across to the bed to retrieve the device. Checking the call display, she quickly answered.

"Hey, Leah." She said, with a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

"Bella Swan, I can't believe you didn't tell me you were going on a date with Paul tonight! What the hell were you thinking saying yes to him?"

"Er... I would have told you, but this week has been so busy with school, and we only arranged it Wednesday night... So... There really wasn't much time to let you know."

"But why did you say yes to him? You know what he's like, Bella. Do Billy and Sarah know? Where is he taking you? I cannot believe you said yes!"

"Leah, calm down! I said yes because I like him... and yes, I know what he's like - well, I know about his reputation - but he was really sweet when he walked me home from the beach and he's hot. Billy and Sarah know about it, and we're going to a Mexican restaurant in Port Angeles... Does that answer everything for you?"

Bella had known Leah since they were little and even though she wouldn't have described her as a best friend, they were pretty close and Bella knew that Leah had a tendency to be pretty bossy. But she also knew Leah's heart was in the right place. Although, Bella was finding it a bit hard to see why Leah was being so dramatic. Yes, this was Paul she'd agreed to go out with, but they all knew him and he wasn't a bad guy, so what was the problem?

"Look, Leah, I don't really understand why you're so worked up. I'm sure I can trust Paul, we've all known him for years. Unless... you know something about him that I should know about?" Bella asked a little concerned.

"No, other than that he's a complete womanizer, which you already know. Paul's okay... I guess."

Bella breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Great, so apart from the fact that I didn't tell you I was going on a date with him, everything's okay, right?" She prompted.

"Yeah I guess so, but Jake is pretty pissed..."

Bella suddenly felt her stomach lurch at the mention of his name.

"Wait. Jake... I mean, Jacob...? Wh... Why...? What's this got to do with him?" Bella's words came out so fast she stumbled over them as her heart pounded loudly against her chest.

"I don't know, but he turned up at Embry's all mad, asking Em if I knew you were going out tonight with Paul, and why hadn't Em told him. He calmed down when we told him I didn't know anything about it. But then he asked Em and me to go to the same place you're going to... to keep an eye on you."

"Oh my god, he wanted you to spy on me and Paul? Seriously? What did you say?"

"Em told him we had already made plans for tonight, so we couldn't do it..."

"So that was it? Everything's okay, right? Because I really need to get ready Leah."

"Well... He was pretty mad when Em told him that we had plans, and I kind of got mad at him then too, and said a few things..."

"Oh no. What did you say, Leah?" Bella wasn't really certain that she wanted to hear what her friend had said, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Look, I know how he used to treat you when we were kids and I should have told him then..."

"Just Spit it out, Leah, what did you say to him?" Bella was beginning to get very nervous about what had been said between Leah and Jacob.

"I just asked him who he thought he was, getting all protective over you. Especially when he was such a fucking dick to you before..." Bella groaned into the phone as Leah continued, "...I said just because you were staying with him, doesn't mean he has to be all big brotherly and pretend like he cares and stuff!"

"Oh god, Leah... You didn't? Please tell me you didn't." Bella could imagine Leah nodding her head proudly as she replied.

"Oh yes I did, and he had it coming. I really should have said something ages ago."

"What did he say? Was he mad?"

"Hell yeah, he was raging. Then he stormed out mumbling something about how he shouldn't care or something, I'm not sure, but I'm glad I said it. He needed to know what an idiot he is sometimes."

Bella had heard enough, and was also aware of her impending date, that she still needed to get dressed for.

"Well, thank you for sticking up for me, I guess, and I promise to keep Paul at arms length, okay?"

"Sure, and, Bella... I do hope you have a good time, just be careful... he's smooth!"

Bella couldn't help the nervous giggle that escaped her lips as she said goodbye to Leah, then quickly got dressed for her date.

xXx  
>Having no girlfriend meant Jacob had a bit more time on his hands, which also meant he could drop by the auto shop in the hope he could get a couple of extra hours of work in, before heading home each day.<p>

He'd stopped by as usual on Friday and shouted out a greeting to Paul and the other guys. Grabbing a pair of overalls he wandered over to join Paul under a car hood.

"Man, am I glad to see you. I need to finish up a bit earlier tonight... could you take a look at the old Chevy for me?"

"Sure, where you headed? Off with Jared to Port Angeles for the usual chick and dick lottery?" Jacob asked grinning.

He heard plenty of stories of what Paul and Jared got up to at the weekends, so could hazard a guess at what they had planned for tonight.

"Funny Black!" Paul laughed, "As a matter of fact I have a date tonight... and if this chick wants a piece of my dick... I sure ain't gonna disappoint her!"

"So who's the lucky lady tonight?" Jacob prodded as he made his way over to the Chevy.

"Miss Isabella Swan!" Paul stated proudly.

Jacob stopped in his tracks, but kept his eyes locked on the dark blue car in front of him.

"So you asked her out?" He kept his voice steady as he clenched and unclenched his fist.

"Sure did! Didn't she tell you?"

"No she didn't... why would she? We're not even friends..." Jacob caught himself and walked over to the car.

"But you're living under the same roof. I thought she might have mentioned it." Paul continued.

"She has her life, I have mine... she's got nothing to do with me." Jacob shrugged, not wanting Paul to see how this piece of news was really affecting him.

"So you're okay with it?"

Jacob chuckled bitterly, "Why wouldn't I be? I hope you both have fun!" He popped the hood of the Chevy and lifted it, with a little more force than was necessary, when Paul replied smugly.

"Oh, I'm sure we will!"

Jacob finished up around a half hour after Paul had left. He couldn't believe that Paul had asked Bella out, and what surprised him even more was that she'd said yes.

What the fuck was she thinking?

Jacob had known Paul for as long as he could remember and he knew that he was a good guy who wouldn't do anything that Bella didn't want him to, but what if she did want him to? What the fuck? That thought just didn't bear thinking about.

After filling out some paperwork in record time, Jacob called out a farewell to the rest of the guys and decided to head over to Embry's place. The last thing he wanted to do was go home, knowing she'd be there dressing herself up for fucking Paul... God he hoped she wouldn't be _fucking_ Paul! Leah was bound to be with Embry, and Jacob wanted to know if he was the last one to find out about Paul's date!

xXx

Bella surveyed herself in the mirror and nodded in appreciation of her reflection. A little make-up, not too much, she knew Paul like his girls to look a little slutty, and Bella was most definitely not one of those girls!

As she turned to grab her purse off the chair, she heard a knock at the front door, and a sudden wave of nausea swept over her.

"Don't be so stupid, you can do this! Enjoy yourself and have fun... just not too much fun!" she whispered to herself.

Walking into the hallway Bella could hear Sarah and Paul talking about the weather, she had obviously opened the door to him and invited him in. As she came through the door her heart sped up at the sight before her. Paul had his head thrown back in laughter, and her eyes raked down his body. She could see his tan neck disappearing into the collar of his white button down shirt. He looked casual, with his sleeves rolled up slightly exposing his forearms. His hands were in his pockets and her eyes continued their descent to his jean clad legs. Paul was looking hotter than ever, and Bella blushed at the realisation that at this moment in time she was finding him extremely attractive.

It was at that moment the front door opened and in walked Jacob, covered in grease and looking as menacing as ever.

"So, you're going out then?" Jacob's eyes were on Bella as he stood at the door looking past Paul and his mom.

"Um... yeah..." It was barely audible but Jacob must have heard her reply, as a nod of his head acknowledged it.

Paul and Sarah watched the exchange before Paul chuckled, "What? Did you think she'd stand me up, Jake?" If Paul had sensed the intense atmosphere that had invaded the room, he didn't show it.

"Whatever... I need a shower." Jacob mumbled as he walked past his mom and headed towards the hallway.

Bella moved to let him pass, and quickly ducked her head to avoid the glare he was shooting her. As he reached her, Bella couldn't resist looking up at him. His gaze seemed to soften slightly and she heard him whisper, "Have fun Bells." Then he continued passed her.

Bella moved towards Paul and Sarah, who were still standing together by the door watching her. She smiled at Paul as she approached them.

"Hey, Bella, you look gorgeous." Paul said winking at her.

"Thanks." She replied shyly.

"Okay, well, shall we get going?"

Paul placed his hand on the small of Bella's back and turned to face the door.

"It was good to see you again, Mrs Black, and I'll make sure I don't get her home too late."

"Good to see you too Paul. Enjoy yourselves and look after her, otherwise you'll have the two chiefs to answer to!"

"Sure thing" Paul replied as they stepped through the doorway.

"Bye, Bella." Sarah quickly clasped Bella's hand, then let go. "Oh, and you have your key don't you?"

"Yes, I have it. Bye..."

Paul and Bella walked down the path towards Paul's car, as Sarah closed the door behind them.

Being the perfect gentleman, Paul opened the passenger door for her, and after waiting for Bella to get in, closed it.

He got in his side and turned the key to start the engine.

"So..." He began as he pushed the gas pedal down and pulled away. "What the hell is going on with you and Jacob?"


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I am so sorry! I have no real excuse for the ridiculous amount of time it's taken to update other than lack of time and motivation. The past eight months have been particularly difficult. I lost my wonderful mom in November to a short but serious illness… I've been completely lost without her. She often asked how my writing was going and was very proud that I was giving it a go. I wouldn't let her read my stories though, as I wouldn't use bad language around my parents, so wouldn't dream of her seeing what I'd written, but I did say that when they were finished I'd let her read them. Sadly that won't happen now, but I owe it to my mom, my readers and myself to try to complete these stories. So I would like to dedicate this chapter to the two bravest women I have ever known, my mom and my lovely Mother-in-Law who discovered in January that she is terminally ill with brain cancer.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I must confess that I have created a real dilemma for myself and Bella. I've always been a Jake girl, but I couldn't help falling for Paul! I think I've really made things difficult for myself and Bella…

Thank you as always for sticking with my stories, reading, reviewing, following and favoriting. It really does mean a lot.

All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, I just took them and fooled around a bit!

xXx

Bella pushed back against the car seat. She quickly glanced at Paul, and then at her hands clasped in her lap.

"Um, honestly? I'm not really sure." She looked over at Paul again, but his eyes were on the road, so she continued. "I don't think he likes me very much. We've never really been friends or spoken to each other, even though our dads are best buddies, and..." she took a breath,"...he kind of confuses me."

Paul did look at her now, just for a second and then he turned his eyes back to the road. "Well, for the record, I think he'd be crazy not to like you... but, if you want my opinion, I think he's just as confused by you, as you are by him."

Paul gave Bella a reassuring smile - not his usual cocky grin - a genuine smile which lit up his face.

"Well he has no reason to be confused by me, I've never treated him any differently to how I always have. He's the one who keeps blowing hot and cold."

Paul concentrated on the road and didn't answer immediately. Then he let out a quiet sigh, "Well Jake can be an idiot sometimes, I wouldn't worry about it... But if he upsets you, let me know, and I'll kick his ass! Okay?"

Bella laughed loudly. "Thanks, but I think I can handle him."

"Yep, and I think that's what confuses him. You're not that little bookworm you used to be. You've got spunk... and I like it."

Bella felt heat invade her cheeks as Paul briefly looked at her and winked, before returning his eyes to the road.

"So, you like Mexican food?" Paul asked, and Bella was relieved that the Jacob conversation appeared to be over.

"I love Mexican food." Bella exaggerated the word love with a roll of her eyes. She sat back against her seat and felt the tension that have been invading her body before, slowly dissipate. She smiled and relaxed, looking over at Paul as he smacked his lips together.

"Mmm, me too. Trouble is, I never know what to choose. It all sounds so fucking... oops, sorry, so damn good. I really have to take my time looking over the menu. You'll have to be patient with me, these things can't be rushed."

Bella laughed at Paul's slip. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of coming between a man and his food, but aren't you the kind of guy who already knows what he wants?" Bella, asked suddenly feeling pretty brave.

"You'd think so, right? But nah, I'm so indecisive..." He quickly glanced at her again and then back at the road. "In an ideal world, I'd like a little piece of everything!" He laughed. "And I always think I know what I want, but then I get worried that I'm missing out on something that could be fucking spectacular... Shit sorry!"

Bella was laughing again. "You really don't need to keep apologising, Paul. I've heard guys cuss before; just be yourself."

"Really, can I?" An excited grin spread across his face as he took his hand off the steering wheel and softly put it on Bella's knee.

"Oh, I..." Bella quickly went to move his hand, but Paul had pulled it away and placed it back on the steering wheel, before she could.

"I'm kidding, Bella!" He shook his head, and was grinning, she assumed at her obvious look of horror and embarrassment. "I'll behave myself, I promise... Unless you don't want me to?" He added wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, I'd appreciate you behaving yourself, Mr Lahote." She said folding her arms across her chest, but she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling at him.

"Oh, baby, you don't know what it does to me when women get all authoritative..." He said huskily.

"Oh my god, Paul, you're incorrigible!" She laughed, slapping his arm gently.

"Hey, you said I could be myself!" He replied in self-defence, pretending to be hurt.

"And you said you'd behave yourself!" She replied.

"I am... Look, hands are on the wheel." He wiggled his fingers to emphasize the fact.

"Yes, but your mouth needs to co-operate too." Bella said rolling her eyes at him.

"My mouth is an expert in co-operation... It knows exactly what to do in all situations."

"Oh, I'm sure it does... But why don't we get back to talking about food?" She said blushing again. "You should gradually work down the menu each time you go to this place. Eventually you'd get to try it all if you go there often enough."

"Mmm..." He nodded. "I see your logic there, Miss Swan, but honestly, I'm just too damn impatient... and I get easily distracted; I'd divert from the plan and mess up."

Bella was laughing again now at his seriousness. "Then, I'm afraid there really is no hope for you."

"Aw, shit..." He concluded, and they both burst out laughing.

Bella couldn't deny, that yes, Paul Lahote was a terrible flirt and had a reputation with women, but he was also great fun, and she really was enjoying his company.

In no time, they had arrived at the restaurant, were seated and placing their orders. Bella had to stifle a laugh at the amount of food Paul had ordered for himself, telling him that he'd easily work through the whole menu in another three or four visits, and he could therefore give her theory a try.

Paul excused his large food order with a wink, accompanied with telling her that he was still a growing boy.

Bella felt particularly relaxed around Paul and easily fell into a light playful banter that some would definitely mistake as flirting.

"I can't imagine there is much more growing to do, unless you're including your waistline?" Bella queried.

"Hey... where do you think my guns come from?" He asked as he pulled up his sleeves and flexed some impressive biceps. "I work out... a lot. Therefore I need plenty of fuel. Oooh thanks!" The waitress stealthily placed their drinks and a basket of nachos in front of them as Paul put his muscles away. Bella was pleased that the drinks and food appeared to have distracted Paul enough, that he hadn't noticed Bella's red cheeks at his manly display. If he had, he certainly didn't let on.

"Ladies first,"

Paul offered Bella the basket of Nachos and she dived in.

Feeling relaxed and much braver than she ever thought she would be, Bella decided to grab the bull by the horns and ask the question that had been playing on her mind.

"So… why did you ask me out?"

Paul looked up from his drink and lifted the corner of his lip in a cocky grin.

"Why do you think I did?"

"Um, I have no idea... That's why I'm asking. After all, from what I've heard I'm not exactly like any of the other girls you go out with. So I'm curious."

"Well you are brunette, smart, intelligent..." Paul started, but Bella quickly interrupted.

"Oh my god, I didn't mean that they're... Um..." Bella covered her face with her hands and shook her head with embarrassment, but Paul gently pulled her hands away, laughing softly.

"Hey, I'm teasing you. I know you didn't mean it that way. Sure I've hooked up with a few 'dumb blondes' before, but I've also dated some really nice, clever girls, with all hair colours..." He finished with another wink.

Bella's embarrassment eased a little and she continued. "What I meant was, I'm not very outgoing, worldly... I thought you preferred girls who are a bit more confident and..." Bella shrugged her shoulders shyly and lowered her voice, "sexy..." She knew she could be entering dangerous territory, but she was on a date with Paul Lahote, surely that meant she was already halfway there, and she just wanted to know his motive for asking her out.

The waitress came over and set their plates in front of them, and they both mumbled a thank you.

Paul appeared to be lost in thought for a few seconds, before he answered.  
>"I like you, Bella, I always have done. You're smart, considerate, thoughtful and beautiful, and the best thing, is that you don't even realize it, and the whole combination is sexy as hell."<p>

Bella could feel the heat rising in her cheeks again, and wondered if someone could actually burst a blood vessel from constant blushing, and she was quite taken aback by Paul's sincere words.

"I'll let you into a secret, shall I?" Paul gestured for her to come a little closer, and Bella obeyed. "You don't even know that every guy I know on the Rez, who knows you, has a huge crush on you." Paul started tucking into his food but kept his eyes on her.

"Now I know you're just flattering me... That's not true, and you know it."

He shook his head and waved his fork, as Bella started eating too.

"Okay, correction. Embry is now so loved up with Leah that she's his complete object of affection, but I swear... he had the hots for you too, before the she devil got her hooks into him."

Bella gasped, "That's mean, Paul. Leah's my friend, and she's not that bad."

"Yeah, well that's a matter of opinion, and she knows what I think of her, but anyway, I'm telling the truth. You got the guys on the Rez all riled up."

"Well I know for certain of one guy on the Rez who doesn't like me..." She was disappointed with herself, why did she have to bring him up again?

"Hmmm, he's got it as bad as the rest of us, worse I reckon. He just tries to hide it so it doesn't piss off his living Barbie doll."

Bella almost choked on her mouthful, but quickly recovered.

"Don't you like her?"

"Nope. None of us do. We're just waiting and hoping that Jake realizes what she's like."

Bella stayed quiet and continued to eat.

"I do like you, Bella, and I asked you out because I wanted to get to know you, but I'm not stupid. I know that you aren't into me in 'that' way, and to be honest I think you're too good for me."

Bella interrupted. "That's not true, Paul, you're a really nice guy, we've never really had a chance to get to know each other, and, in fact I'm just discovering that you're much nicer and easier to talk to than I thought you'd be..."

Paul's fork stopped midway to his mouth and his face lit up with the biggest, cheesiest smile Bella had ever seen.

"Are you serious? You're not shitting me, right?" He asked, waving his fork in Bella's direction.

"No, Paul, I'm not shitting you." She replied with a giggle.

"Okay, answer me honestly. Would you like to come on another date with me?" Paul asked seriously.

"Aren't you supposed to ask me that when you drop me home?" Bella asked, before shovelling in another mouthful of delicious food.

"Well, what the hell. I'm feeling lucky." Paul replied.

"Um… well yes. I've had fun, you've made me laugh and I think you're really not as bad as your reputation suggests. So yes, I would go on another date with you…" Paul didn't even attempt to hide the victory fist pump, before Bella even finished speaking. "…unless of course, you suddenly turn into a complete Neanderthal before the evening is over."

Paul barked out a loud laugh.

"I can't make any promises, but I'll try my best to be a perfect gentleman."

They continued to eat their meals and enjoy the light back and forth banter. Bella, really couldn't believe how much she really was enjoying Paul's company, and could definitely see why so many girls fell for his charm. He was funny, charismatic and as sexy as hell, and when Paul suggested they go for a walk after their meal, Bella felt a tiny bit apprehensive, but it really was only a tiny bit. Throughout dinner, Paul had managed to put Bella completely at ease, so she really wasn't as nervous as she had been previously about spending some time alone with him; and Paul was the perfect gentleman the whole time. He kept a respectable distance as they walked and kept the conversation flowing, with light-hearted tales of him and the guys at the garage. Interestingly enough, Bella noticed that Paul didn't mention Jacob at all, and Bella really didn't mind. She laughed out loud at some of the stories and Paul, after telling her what a great laugh she had, just continued to let the stories roll – one after the other.

Before she knew it, the time had flown by and Paul mentioned that he really should be getting her home, otherwise Billy and Sarah wouldn't allow her to have that second date with him.

They walked back to the car and continuing to be the perfect gentleman, Paul opened the passenger door and Bella eased herself inside, with a satisfied sigh, as Paul closed the door and ran round to the driver's side.

The drive home was quiet, and the silence was in no way uncomfortable. As different songs came over the radio, Bella leaned back against the car seat and closed her eyes. Paul glanced over at her and chuckled quietly.

"Are you tired?" He asked.

"Mmm, a little." She replied, feeling content after having a delicious meal followed by a lovely moonlit walk.

"Well not long now and you'll be home." Paul said soothingly.

Bella couldn't help thinking that the Paul she'd heard about could have jumped on her response and made some crude comment about wearing her out or getting her into bed, but all he'd done was show his caring side. She concluded that unless she was very wrong, not many people knew what the real Paul Lahote was really like.

"Paul…" He looked over at her and smiled, "I've really enjoyed myself tonight and… you're nothing like I expected you to be."

"I've had a good time too, and for the record, I'm really not as bad as my reputation suggests." He countered.

"So why do you have such a bad rep then?" she asked seriously.

"The truth?" he asked, and when Bella nodded he continued. "Okay. So I've been with a few girls… and I make no apologies for that, I like sex. I'm a normal red bloodied guy and if a pretty girl is offering, what normal guy wouldn't take her up on the offer? But I'm always safe. I've never given a girl any false hope of a future relationship, I make that clear right from the start, and I've never cheated when I have been in a relationship." He quickly glanced over at Bella, then continued "I'm certainly not innocent, and the only thing I really regret was kissing a buddy's girlfriend when she came on to me. I was single and she was all over me, and damn… I knew what she was like but I was a complete dick and kissed her. Nothing else happened and I told her I wasn't interested, she was pretty pissed at me, but left me alone after that. It was a shitty move… but the only shitty move I've ever made." He looked over again and was relieved to see that Bella was wearing an interested expression, rather than a judgemental one. "Wow, sorry if that was too much info, but to get back to your question about my bad rep. I'm a bit to blame myself, I guess. I'm always amping it up to the guys about what I get up to, I don't give details though!" He quickly looked back over to Bella, she figured he wanted to make sure she'd heard that last bit. So she smiled at him to acknowledge his comment and he continued. "I've always been a bit of a bragger, I think it comes with not having much shit when I was a kid and exaggerating to make out we weren't as hard-up as we were. If that makes sense…" he shrugged his shoulders, "but some of it comes from the girls who wanted more; even when I made it clear to them that it was just a one-time thing, they say they understand and they just want some fun too. Then afterwards they decide they want more than fun and go all stalker-ish on me… Honestly, Bella, some of those girls can be fucking scary." He finished glancing over at her again, and she couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her lips.

"Mmm, I really don't know what to say to that." Bella mused.

"Well, like I said, I'm certainly not innocent, but I'm really not as bad as everyone thinks." He said shrugging his shoulders again.

"Well I think you're a nice guy Paul Lahote – for the record!" Bella said and winked at him.

"Thanks Bella, that means a lot."

After a few more minutes they pulled up outside the little red house belonging to the Black family and Paul cut the engine, quickly jumped out of the car and was opening Bella's door before she'd finished unbuckling her seatbelt.

Paul stood back and let Bella get out of the car. They slowly and quietly walked along the path to the front door.

Bella's nerves returned, as she really wasn't sure whether Paul would try to kiss her, and did she want him to kiss her? Oh god, she really didn't know what she wanted. Paul's voice distracted her from her thoughts.

"So, have I behaved myself enough to warrant that other date?" He asked quietly.

"Most definitely," Bella replied.

"Okay. Why don't you have a think about where you'd like to go, of what you like to do next time, and I'll call you in a couple of days."

"Sounds good." Bella replied.

"Great." Paul said smiling and then leaned in to kiss Bella softly on the cheek. "I'll see you soon then. Now get in before I turn all Neanderthal on you!" he said winking at her.

"Goodnight, Paul." Bella said laughing, before placing a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Okay, you have five seconds before I throw you over my shoulder and take you back to my cave!"

Bella laughed loudly as she fumbled with her key in the lock. "I'm going, I'm going…" she said whilst managing to open the door.

As she turned back she saw that Paul was already walking backwards down the path. "I'll call you." He called back to her.

Bella nodded her head in acknowledgment, not wanting to call back and wake the sleeping household, before closing the door.

"So… did you have a good time?" As she turned, she saw Jacob sat in his father's chair and her heart skipped a beat. She didn't want him to see that he had unnerved her. She raised her chin and answered honestly.

"I had the best time… Goodnight, Jacob." And she walked past him without giving him a second glance.

"Goodnight, Bells." She heard him reply as she closed her bedroom door.


End file.
